"The Future of Medicine"

As part of commencement week activities, this year's graduates, their friends and their families gathered for lunch in the ballroom of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ann Arbor July 7 to revel in the excitement and sense of accomplishment that would be marked by diplomas and official ceremonies the following day.

Medical School Dean Allen S. Lichter (M.D. 1972) greeted the imminent physicians and their guests, pointing out that they were celebrating not just the end of their studies as medical students, but "more importantly, the beginning of your medical careers — and the beginning of your membership in the proud group of 17,000 alumni of the University of Michigan Medical School who are part of MCAS, the Medical Center Alumni Society."

MCAS sponsors the yearly senior lunch event. This year, both Dean Lichter and MCAS President Richard Bucciarelli (M.D. 1972) celebrated the 29th anniversary of their graduation from the U-M Medical School.

The Senior Lunch not only honored the class as a whole but also served as a forum, along with commencement ceremonies in Hill Auditorium on June 8, for announcing many of this year's student and faculty awards. In addition, Renee Shellhaas, Student Council president, presented Rachel Glick (M.D. 1984), associate dean for student programs, with a check representing the Class of 2001's contribution to the Millennium Fund begun by last year's graduating class for the purpose of one day providing financial assistance to all medical students.