July 9, 2021
Twenty-two physicians were honored June 27 at the 46th annual graduation ceremony of The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency Program and Fellowships. The graduation ceremony was held at the North River Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa.
The College of Community Health Sciences provides graduate and post-graduate medical education through both the three-year Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency and year-long fellowships for family medicine physicians seeking additional training in behavioral health, emergency medicine, geriatrics, hospital medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics and sports medicine.
The 16 graduating residents and six fellows will begin their own practices in Alabama and other states or go on to fellowship programs. To date, the Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency Program has graduated 540 family medicine physicians.
“You made it – through three years of residency training and through a pandemic,” said residency Director Dr. Tamer Elsayed, who welcomed graduates and their families. “You now embark on an incredible journey that will have epic heights as well as challenges and struggles.”
He presented all graduates with a special award in recognition for their “heart, dedication, perseverance and compassion while working on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Dr. Richard Friend, dean of CCHS, former residency director and a family medicine physician, echoed that sentiment. “This past year exemplified the commitment our learners had. No one stopped. No one gave up. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done.”
Dr. Jimmy Robinson, professor and the College’s Endowed Chair for Sports Medicine, was the guest speaker at the graduation ceremony. He said he considers himself a family medicine physician first, but one who takes care of athletes.
“I’m not a sports medicine specialist. I’m a family physician who has practiced sports medicine for 28 years. I’ve always felt a family physician makes a good sports medicine physician,” Robinson said. “We evaluate athletes, take care of concussions, handle cardiac issues and infectious diseases. We do family medicine but with athletes.”
In closing, Elsayed provided graduates with this advice: “How do you make your career worthwhile? Think about the end of your career. I do. It informs how I choose to spend my time and energy,” he said. “Your career is a culmination of decisions you make every day for 40 years. Make them so that you know your career mattered, and that you had the impact you wanted.”
2021 Graduating Residents
2021 Graduating Fellows
Residency Award Winners
Chief Residents Recognized
