December 8, 2021
Students at the University of Alabama School of Medicine have named faculty, residents and clinical departments, including those at the College of Community Health Sciences, winners of 2021 Argus Awards.
The Argus Awards, which were presented during a ceremony Nov. 5, provide an opportunity for medical students to nominate and honor their mentors, professors, courses and course directors for outstanding service to medical education. In its role as a medical education provider, CCHS functions as the School of Medicine’s Tuscaloosa Regional Campus. The College also operates the UA Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency.
CCHS winners are:
“Congratulations to our faculty and students. Very well deserved,” said Dr. Richard Friend, dean of CCHS.
Dr. Bob McKinney, assistant professor of Social Work at the College of Community Health Sciences, facilitates one of the signature components of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama’s Leadership Tuscaloosa and ForeRunner curricula.
McKinney has served as a facilitator of SimSoc since 2018. Short for simulated society, SimSoc is a versatile role-playing game used by individuals and groups in introductory sociology courses and business seminars for first-hand understanding of the forces that determine the success or failure of groups or societies. Used by big businesses like MGM and Lucent Technologies, charitable organizations and local government agencies, SimSoc has proven a useful teaching tool for those who want to learn about the nature of leadership and group dynamics.
McKinney, who also directs the Office of Case Management and Social Services at University Medical Center, which CCHS operates, is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Tuscaloosa. The nine-month program for Tuscaloosa area professionals seeks to meet the community’s need for informed, responsible and effective leadership by providing participants with increased knowledge of the area’s economic, social, historical and political issues and needs.
ForeRunners is a nine-month personal-development program for high school juniors from public and private schools in Tuscaloosa County. Through the program, participants have contact with local, state and national leaders who provide information and thoughtful analysis of study topics. In addition, participants learn about leadership styles and skills required in solving complex community issues through a team approach.
