60th Anniversary All-Class

On Aug. 20 the MAA welcomed graduates from classes 1955 through 2010 to a special reunion celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. The event was a wonderful opportunity to renew friendships and connect with former classmates.

Chaired by Gelareh Gabayan M.D. ’03, the event featured Mark Morocco M.D., member of the MAA Board of Directors, as the program’s ceremonial host. Highlights of the evening included a video address by A. Eugene Washington M.D., vice chancellor, UCLA Health Sciences, and dean, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; and presentation of the inaugural MAA Alumnus of the Year Award to Timothy A. Miller M.D. ’63.

Alumni and guests were invited to a private tour of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center prior to the evening reception.

Director’s Corner

Thanks to the generosity of alumni from the 1955, 1961, 1975, 1976, and 1979 graduating classes, MAA awarded five medical student scholarships for the 2011-12 academic year. All of the recipients are MSll.

Congratulations to:
Maria Aleshin, 1955 Class Scholar
Menna M. Archie, 1961 Class Scholar
Caitlin L. McGrath, 1975 Class Scholar
Trevor R. Shaddox, 1976 Class Scholar
Se Fum (Steve) Wong, 1979 Class Scholar

Read the class scholars’ biographies and thank you letters.

In His Own Words
Isaac Yang M.D. ’04

Teaching and advising UCLA medical students are among the most important academic tasks performed by alumni and faculty of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Cultivating the best qualities in each of our medical students is important to maintaining the high level of skill, dedication and commitment required to carry on the legacy of the school, which is celebrating its 60th year.

Read the full story (PDF) »

Carlos Ayala M.D. ’99 - I am a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force. I recently returned from my first deployment to a war zone, where I was a member of the 455th Expeditionary Medical Group and the chief of Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) facial plastic surgeon at Craig Joint Theater Hospital in Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. As the only ENT surgeon in the country specialized in facial plastic surgery, my role was to provide care to the locals, the Afghan National Police and our U.S. service members who had been injured in battle. I applied my training in aesthetics and reconstruction to treat my patients’ facial injuries, fractures and all types of head and neck trauma and allow them to return home as normal as possible.
Read about my tour of duty (PDF) »

Rushdi Cader M.D. ’95 - Dr. Rushi Cader is medical director of the San Luis Obispo Regional SWAT team. He has served as an instructor at the FBI Tactical Medicine Program in Los Angeles and has taught life saving techniques to hundreds of local and federal officers throughout California. Dr. Cader launched the Alliance with Law Enforcement for the Reporting of Threats within the United States (A.L.E.R.T.U.S) in memory of the victims of 9/11, their families and victims of violent radicals around the world. For more information on A.L.E.R.T.U.S, visit alert-us.org.

MAA Special Event

Nov. 1
A Ranger and His Physician
Presentation by Medal of Honor Recipient SFC Leroy Petry and Dr. James Ficke
Dr. S. Jerome and Judith D. Tamkin Auditorium
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (B Level)
5-6 p.m.
No charge. RSVP required.
Online registration »

MAA on the Road

Nov. 4
Dean’s Alumni and Friends Reception
Association of American Medical Colleges
Denver, Colo.
Contact: Matthew Meyer

Nov. 21
Alumni Reception
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Contact: Valerie Walker

Nov. 29
UCLA Alumni Reception
Chicago, Ill.
RSVP to Matthew Meyer.

Dec. 2
Office of Diversity Mixer
Visit Office of Diversity Affairs website.

April 2012
UCLA Alumni Reception
UCLA Primary Care Update
Las Vegas, Nev.
Contact: Valerie Walker