A Message From the SKMC Alumni Board President

Irfan Galaria, MD ’01, MBA
SKMC Alumni Board President

Six years ago, I was flying back to Virginia from a volunteer surgical trip to Ethiopia. About 35,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, I realized that the only reason I was able to do this was the training I received at Jefferson. That’s when I knew it was time to re-engage with my alma mater and start giving back. This July, I became the president of the Alumni Association with the goal of encouraging many more of my fellow alumni to also reconnect with the institution that has given us so many opportunities.

Think back on the experiences you had here and how they helped you achieve your goals; now you have the power to help others have similar experiences and achieve similar goals. You can become a mentor, provide real-world professional advice, or offer housing to students during their residency interviews, just to name a few. Your commitment can be large or small—you can offer significant investments of time, or just a few minutes that will have a lasting and positive effect on the lives of those following in your footsteps.

While we are spread across the country—and across the world—we are still connected by that bond of where we came from. It is my objective to strengthen that bond by encouraging more local and regional activities, forming teams and committees to organize events and increase engagement, and creating events where alums will have the opportunity to meet and learn about the college from current medical school faculty and leaders.

Throughout the years I’ve noticed alumni losing a little interest in becoming involved with the medical college. Some are disillusioned with a few of the actions taken by Jefferson, specifically the sale of “The Gross Clinic” and the name change.

While some alumni believe those two moves caused a loss of identity, they actually led to a gain in our mission and reputation. Those tough decisions put Jefferson in the financial position to succeed and continue our legacy of training the next generation of outstanding physicians. Jefferson is more than oil on a canvas or a name on a building. Jefferson is an institution that has always put the education of our doctors and the care of our community first. Consequently, our standing in the country has continued to grow, and our stellar reputation endures.

And so, I ask you to reflect, as I did on that plane six years ago. Recognize the golden opportunities we have been given and commit to giving back. I invite all of you to contact me. Let me know how you’d like to help, and how I can better bring together our alumni.

Dr. Galaria can be reached at
[email protected]