More than 50 current and former orthopedic residents from across the United States reunited on the Erlanger campus to rekindle friendships from their years in Erlanger’s orthopedics residency program.
The first-ever resident and faculty reunion, billed as the “Road to $1 Million Campaign,” also raised $567,000 to help fund the Chattanooga Orthopedic Education and Research Foundation (COERF). Local orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Paul Apyan, who served as chairman of this year’s fund-raising event, said that the 2012 contributions will be used to purchase equipment, specimens for the on-campus Bioskills Lab and IPad textbooks for orthopedic residents.
“Our hope is that through learning tools used by our faculty, residents and medical students, we will be able to inspire and educate the next generation of orthopedic surgeons coming through Erlanger’s doors,” said Dr. Richard Alvarez, chairman of Erlanger’s Department of Orthopedic Surgery.
Among those attending the physician reunion was 86-year old Dr. Iquball Singh, who joined Erlanger’s orthopedic residency program in 1952.
“These are the physicians who have been taking care of the people of Hamilton County for the past 60 years,” Dr. Apyan told 160 attendees during a dinner ceremony, which included city and county mayors, Jim Coppinger and Ron Littlefield.
Receiving the Distinguished Alumnus award at the reunion was Dr. Robert Coddington, who was presented with a Tree of Life sculpture, which represents the term “orthopedics.” Other former residents recognized at the reunion were Drs. Channappa Chandra, David Bruce, Martin Redish, Marshall Jemison Thomas Currey, Mark Freeman, Richard Pearce, Dale Ingram and Hugh Brown.
20 former Erlanger orthopedic residents who went on to practice in other parts of the country came to the reunion from Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina. “They came back home – for friendship, fellowship and education,” said Dr. Apyan, noting that the alumni group voted to return to Chattanooga every other year for a reunion.