The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Alumni Society recognized three of its own with alumni awards during a special reception held Nov 5.
Laura Q. Rogers, MD ’84, and Brian Williams, MD ’01, were celebrated as distinguished physician alumni, and David Sallman, ’07, MD ’10, was recognized for early career achievement.
Dr. Laura Q. Rogers received the 2022 Distinguished Physician Alumna Award in Academics. After completing her residency at the Medical College of Georgia, she has dedicated nearly 30 years of multidisciplinary research to healthy lifestyle behavior changes in people living with chronic disease, including cancer survivors. Dr. Rogers has served on the faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham since 2012, most recently as a professor and associate director of the Division of Preventive Medicine in the School of Medicine.
USF presented its 2022 Distinguished Physician Alumnus Award in Service to Dr. Brian Williams. Following six years in the U.S. Air Force and medical school at USF, he completed a residency in general surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston. An experience while serving as a trauma surgeon at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Texas prompted Dr. Williams to become a national activist for racial equality in health care, medical education and ending gun violence in America. Since 2019, Dr. Williams has served as co-director of University of Chicago Medical Center’s intensive care unit.
“We are proud to honor these alumni for their outstanding contributions. Dr. Rogers and Dr. Williams represent the best in our profession for their leadership, academic and professional achievement as well as service to the community,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.
Dr. David Sallman received the 2022 Early Career Achievement Award in Academics. Through the seven-year accelerated medical program offered through USF’s Judy Genshaft Honors College, Dr. Sallman was already a year into medical school when he received his undergraduate degree in 2007. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston. A fellowship brought him back to Tampa and Moffitt Cancer Center in 2013, where he has become an international expert in the treatment of hematological malignancies characterized by TP 53 mutations. Dr. Sallman serves as an assistant member in the Department of Malignant Hematology and myeloid section head at Moffitt Cancer Center.
“In a relatively short time, Dr. Sallman has already done so much to drive better outcomes for his patients and advance research into hematological malignancies,” said Valerie Riddle, MD, associate dean of alumni engagement for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “We are proud to recognize his achievements to date and anxiously await what he’ll accomplish in the years to come.”
Dr. Ted Williams accepting the award for Dr. Brian Williams, Dr. Laura Rogers, and Dr. David Sallman.
To submit a nomination for the 2023 USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Alumni Society awards, visit usf.to/MDAlumniAwards.