1960s

Bill Morton, M.D. ’62, sent us this note: “After 29 years of practicing urology in Atlanta, I closed my office and am trying to live off the fruits of the land (i.e., my savings account). I still practice law part-time to make ends meet, but mainly I’m flying the plane and sailing the boat more. It took me a long time to figure this out, but the work thing is all backwards—we should retire from the age of 20 to 55 and then work the last few years!”

1970s

Rhoda Nussbaum, M.D. ’78, was honored as a Distinguished Partnership Scholar by the Partnership for Women’s Health for her pioneering work in women’s health in a managed care environment.

Alan Matarasso, M.D. ’79, was named by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery as one of the 1999-2000 “Travelling Professors.” In that capacity, he lectured to residents at the University of Virginia, Yale University, Ohio State University, and the University of Massachusetts. He served as an instructor for several teaching courses at the annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the Aesthetic Surgery Foundation, and the Lipoplasty Society recently held in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. He also coauthored two papers presented at the Rhinoplasty Society’s fifth annual meeting: “The Nasal-to-Cervical (Nose-Neck) Relationship in Rhinoplasty Surgery” and “The True Hanging Columella: Diagnosis and Treatment Using a Modified Direct Approach.”

1980s

Ivan Lieberburg, M.D. ’80, was named executive vice president and chief scientific and medical officer of the Elan Corporation, which focuses on neurology, pain management, and cardiology. In development are a vaccine for amyloid plaques characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, and treatments for epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and hypertension.

Alan Miller, M.D. ’83, became vice president and associate dean for clinical affairs at Tulane University School of Medicine. He is responsible for the oversight, development, and growth of Tulane’s clinical medical enterprise.

Dennis Mihale, M.D. ’86, is a managing principal for e-business and health care with IBM Corporation. He will be working with the company’s national accounts in the health care industry. Dr. Mihale began his career at IBM, having taken a leave of absence at age 35 to attend the School of Medicine. He was part of the team that launched the IBM Global Network and conducted biomedical research at the IBM Watson Research Center. In that capacity, he helped design the front-end system used to conduct robotic hip surgery. He later became an ER physician and built two HMOs, having served as CEO of the second one.

Barbara B. Bennett, M.D. ’88, an associate professor in the University of Florida College of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was selected by the medical students as Clinical Science Teacher of the Year. She works with third-year medical students during their OB/GYN clinical rotation and serves as faculty mentor to first- and second-year medical students. She most enjoys teaching practical skills in the operating room setting. Since joining the University of Florida in 1992, she has received numerous teaching honors.

Michael Gold, M.D. ’88, is a director with the Department of Clinical Pharmacology/Experimental Medicine at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute in Princeton, New Jersey.

Regina Leverrier, M.D. ’88, is completing a public psychiatry fellowship at the New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University and participating in research on atypical antipsychotics. She also snowboards frequently and moved back to New York City, with a winter house in Killington, Vermont.

Bruce A. Miller, M.D. ’88, a pediatric ophthalmologist/adult ocular motility specialist in solo practice in Plantation, Florida, was named medical director of pediatric ophthalmology at the Chris Evert Women and Children’s Medical Center at Broward General Medical Center. He developed a countywide children’s eye care program that includes free vision screenings for children. Dr. Miller also was named one of three state champions of Florida to help launch the National Children’s Eye Care Program.

1990s

Roger Blake, M.D. ’94, is an assistant professor at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in the Department of Surgery/Division of Trauma. He completed a general surgery residency and trauma fellowship at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas.

Calvin Eshbaugh, M.D. ’95, is a medical director of refractive surgery and assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Texas A & M Health Science Center. He recently completed a fellowship in refractive surgery at Cole Eye Institute/Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He and his wife, Krista, have two sons, Andrew and Daniel.

Linda Bach, M.D. ’97, was featured on CBS’s 48 Hours news program in a segment called “Living Better, Longer.” She currently is working on her internal medicine residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

n a balmy April evening, more than 100 medical alumni gathered in Miami at the Cocoplum Clubhouse in Coral Gables to socialize and honor two of their own. Alan Serure, M.D. ’79, and his wife, Karen, graciously hosted the event for the second year in a row. This year’s distinguished alumnus award recipients were Manuel Peñalver, M.D. ’77, and Guido Pérez, M.D. ’65.

The evening began with a warm welcome by Dr. Serure, who spoke of the ties alumni have to the School of Medicine—ties that gatherings like this one seek to reinforce. Dean Emeritus Bernard J. Fogel, M.D. ’61, spoke of the priorities and challenges that face the school and then introduced distinguished alumni. Dr. Manuel Peñalver is chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a homegrown talent. In addition to his medical degree, he also received his undergraduate degree and postgraduate training at the University. In 1984, he became a member of the faculty and has made significant contributions in his field. Dr. Guido Pérez was the first Cuban-American graduate of the School of Medicine and is an expert in the field of nephrology. He has published more than 200 articles in scientific journals, books, and abstracts, and received the Arnold Lehman Award in Pharmacology Research.

After presentation of the awards, the group lingered and enjoyed making new friends and catching up with old ones. John G. Clarkson, M.D. ’68, senior vice president for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, is interested in hearing from alumni in other areas and looks forward to hosting other events. For information on meeting with the dean and the school’s outreach efforts, please contact the Office of Medical Alumni Relations at 305-243-6256.

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