Alumni Affairs

President's Message

Hello to all my fellow Mountaineer physicians! I am excited to take over the position as Alumni Association President after serving the last few years on the Alumni Executive Council. My wife and I joined as Life Members of the Alumni Association shortly after leaving medical school, but the opportunity to serve and reconnect directly to the Alumni Association has been amazing. It is incredible to see how much has changed over the last 20 years. Both the physical transformation of the campus (How did they get the Pylons indoors?!?), and the modernization of medical school education.

I am in awe of the continued advancement and innovation with the new programs:

  • A state-of-the-art simulation center for hands-on education with a focus on patient safety and better prepared physicians
  • Mountaineer Accelerated Track to Enter Residency (MATTER) to improve retention of talent while minimizing student debt
  • Expanded research, particularly in the areas of neurosciences and addiction
  • Major upgrades with hospital facilities, with the cardiology and children’s hospital towers

Inspired by the WVU School of Medicine’s hard work, alumni can further the mission of our alma mater.  We were once the students persevering toward graduation so we can empathize with the struggle. But now with rising costs and new challenges of entering the field of medicine, our support is needed more than ever. A major focus has been the development of more scholarships and financial support. Just this year, Dr. Anne Cather and her Class of 1983 developed a hardship fund to support students in emergency situations such as health, housing, and food needs. Beyond scholarships, financial support, and Alumni Weekend festivities, your Association supports these traditional ceremonies for students:

  • Oath of Integrity Ceremony and presentation of stethoscopes
  • White Coat Ceremony and recitation of the Hippocratic Oath
  • Match Day
  • Graduation

Now is our opportunity to pay forward that same support we received while we were students. I hope you’ll join me as a member of the School of Medicine Alumni Association in supporting these important programs for students, by sponsoring a stethoscope, a white coat, or by contributing to a specific scholarship. We have strength in numbers.

Let’s Go!

Marc Yester MD

Class of 2006