Black History Event Celebrates Diversity in Medicine

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Dr. A. L Lee		Dr. I. U. Eneli

Andrew L. Lee, M.D., President and CEO of Phyx, a Southfield based physician management service organization - a subsidiary of Detroit Medical Center; and Ihuoma Uchechi Eneli, M.D., MSU Assistant Professor of general pediatrics, were the main speakers at this year's Black History Month Banquet that was tagged "Celebrating Diversity in Medicine". It was marked on February 22 at CHM Radiology Building.

Andrew Lee used his speech that was titled "African American Pioneers in Medicine," to highlight the contributions of African American physicians to the American Medical profession. Spicing his talk with lively jokes, Lee also tested the knowledge of the audience which was found wanting. For example, he said, "Who was the first African American to qualify as a physician?" With no one volunteering, he added, "The thing with us professionals in this field is that we know so little about ourselves." (See slide show for details).

Lee received his bachelor of science in medical technology from MSU. He got his master's degree in hospital administration from Cornell University as well as his master's and Ph.D. in public administration from Nova University. He founded both the first and the second African American owned hospices in the country as well as a museum dedicated to the history of African Americans in healthcare in Southfield Michigan.

Audience at the occasion	Courtney Crawford

Ihuoma Eneli towed a human angle path in her speech that was billed to "inspire" the students. A native of Nigeria and also trained in that country of 115 million people, Eneli compared the "limitless opportunities" of the medical training in the US with what obtains in developing country such as Nigeria. Being so poised, Eneli urged her audience to aspire to become the very best in the field irrespective of gender, color or background.

Eneli trained as a medical doctor at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, Nigeria. She did her residency in pediatrics at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing Michigan where she served as the chief resident. She currently works at the MSU Clinical Center and is the attending physician at the Cristo Rey Clinic as well as studying for a master's degree in epidemiology at MSU.

Headed by Hilder Farrarrer and Erica McClasker, co-presidents, the Student National Medical Association and the Minority Medical Medical Student Association organized the event. Also featured at the occasion were a song titled "Ho A Muto" performed by Catherine Tchanque and her group, invocation by Markeeta West, presentation by Courtney Crawford and Erica McClaskey and closing remarks by Hilda Ferrarer.

Catherine Tchanque	Tchanque and group