Dr. Samuel Gaskins of Northport, Ala., a former faculty member at the College of Community Health Sciences and long-time director of the College’s Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency Program, died in October.
“I extend my condolences to his family and to the many CCHS colleagues who worked closely with him,” said Dr. Richard Friend, dean of the College. “While retired for many years, Dr. Gaskins remained very involved with CCHS. His presence and his wisdom will be missed.”
Gaskins joined CCHS in 1979 and served as director of the Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency for a period of 20 years. He first served as residency director from 1980 to 1994.
He again provided leadership for the residency beginning in 1999, a year that marked a total of 258 graduates from the Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency since its 1975 founding, making it one of the most productive programs in the Southeast. He served as director until 2003.
The quality of the residency has been extremely important in building the College’s reputation and fulfilling our mission of placing more family medicine physicians in Alabama, Friend said. “During the two decades he served as residency director, Dr. Gaskins successfully navigated the program through a great deal of change and helped it evolve with the times; he served the program well.”
Today, the residency is one of the largest and most successful family medicine residencies in the United States.
Gaskins retired from CCHS in 2005 but remained active with the College. He served for many years on the CCHS Board of Visitors, a group of volunteers, including alumni, donors, community physicians and friends of the College who assist CCHS in securing financial resources and developing opportunities for medical students and resident physicians. He helped launch an endowed scholarship in his name for medical students – the Dr. Samuel E. Gaskins Endowed Medical Students Scholarship.
At the College’s celebration earlier this year marking the 50th Anniversary of the Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency, Gaskins was presented with the inaugural Educator of Distinction Award, given to those who have shaped future generations through outstanding teaching and mentorship.
Gaskins received a Bachelor of Science Degree in biological sciences from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. He completed a family practice residency at VCU Riverside Regional Medical Center Hospital in New Port News, Va.