Georgetown University School of Medicine Announces Commencement Speaker; Honorary Degree Recipient

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 2011 commencement speaker for Georgetown University's School of Medicine will be alumnus, Barbara Alving, M.D., MACP, director of the National Center for Research Resources at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). John Prescott, M.D., Chief Academic Officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges will receive the School of Medicine's Doctor of Humane Letter, Honoris Causa, at the 159th graduation exercises on Sunday, May 22, 2011.

Throughout the last several years, Barbara Alving has demonstrated vision, creativity and leadership to energize the discipline of clinical and translational research, says Stephen Ray Mitchell, Dean of the School of Medicine at Georgetown University.

In her current role at the NIH, Alving has overseen the launch of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards, a program to create a national consortium of academic health centers intended to ensure that biomedical discoveries are rapidly translated into prevention strategies and clinical treatments for rare and common diseases.

"Dr. Alving's message will undoubtedly reinforce the importance of physicians leading and participating in medical research as a means of advancing our practice especially at this critical time in our healthcare environment," says Mitchell.  "We look forward to welcoming Dr. Alving back to Georgetown and recognizing her accomplishments."

At the ceremony, Prescott will be awarded with the School of Medicine's most prestigious honorary degree, Honoris Causa, for his passion in helping people in crisis.  He has led an extraordinary career as a pioneer in emergency medicine, as well as academic medicine.

"This prestigious honor recognizes him as Hoya who embodies Georgetown's values of curapersonalis," added Mitchell.  "We congratulate Dr. Prescott as this year's recipient of the Honoris Causa."  

This year's School of Medicine graduation will take place on Sunday, May 22nd,  at 11 a.m. at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. The 2011 class has 194 medical students equally divided amongst men and women. Each year, thousands of family members and friends attend the ceremony as their loved ones cross the stage as medical students and depart as "doctors."

Note to editor: Media must RSVP to Tressa Kirby no later than Sunday, May 22, 2011, at 10 a.m. Interviews available with students. High-resolution photos also available. Complimentary media parking at 1800 G Street, NW.

About Georgetown University Medical Center
Georgetown University Medical Center is an internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of research, teaching and patient care (through MedStar Health). GUMC's mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of curapersonalis -- or "care of the whole person." The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing & Health Studies, both nationally ranked; Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute; and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization (BGRO), which accounts for the majority of externally funded research at GUMC including a Clinical Translation and Science Award from the National Institutes of Health. In fiscal year 2009-2010, GUMC accounted for nearly 80 percent of Georgetown University's extramural research funding.

SOURCE Georgetown University Medical Center