LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Karen Bass, newly named Speaker of the California State Assembly and the first African-American woman to be elected to lead any legislative body in American history, will deliver the keynote address at the 24th annual commencement ceremonies for Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) this Saturday, May 31st, at 10:00 a.m. on the campus lawn. Receiving the University's President's Medal will be Dr. Vidya S. Kaushik, noted cardiologist and educator at CDU, while Honorary degree recipients will include Dr. Reed V. Tuckson, Executive Vice President and Chief of Medical Affairs for UnitedHealth Group and former President of CDU, Dr. Carmine D. Clemente, Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Charles Drew University, and Speaker Bass.
"Graduation is always a special occasion, but certainly this illustrious group of honorees certainly gives even greater distinction to this year's ceremonies," stated Dr. Susan Kelly, CDU President and CEO. "The University is honored by the quality of our graduating class as well as those accomplished individuals we recognize Saturday."
Speaker Bass made history earlier this month when she became the first Democratic woman in California's history to be named Speaker of the State Assembly, and made national history as the first African American woman in the country to serve in this powerful state legislative role. She has represented Los Angeles' 47th Assembly District since 2005, having previously worked as a physician assistant and then founding and serving as Executive Director of Community Coalition, a community-based social justice organization in South Los Angeles to empower residents to make a difference by becoming involved.
Dr. Kaushik has served with distinction at CDU for more than 30 years, most recently as Chair of Internal Medicine and Chief of Cardiology, training hundreds of residents and fellows, and educating multitudes of medical students and physician assistants. His President's Medal honors Dr. Kausihik's commitment to excellence in medical education and patient care, extraordinary service and demonstrated commitment to implementing the University's mission.
Prior to assuming his senior position with UnitedHealth Group, Dr. Reed Tuckson served as Senior Vice President, Professional Standards for the American Medical Association ((AMA) and as President of CDU. At UnitedHealth, he is responsible for working with all of the company's business units to improve the quality and efficiency of health services.
Dr. Clemente is a noted professor and expert in anatomy and cell biology, having taught at UCLA for 51 years, including serving as Chairman of its Psychoneuroimmunology Program and as Director of Brain Research for eleven years. He was also Professor of Surgical Anatomy at the Charles Drew Postgraduate Medical School and served on the board of CDU. Dr. Clemente has published nearly 200 scientific papers and books, including the widely used medical textbook, Atlas of Human Anatomy. He has produced a series of films on the dissection of the human body that are now used in over 170 medical schools throughout the world.
As a part of its mission, Charles Drew University's graduates continue to provide urgently needed healthcare services to millions of medically underserved residents of the poorest communities. Named in honor of the brilliant African-American physician whose pioneering work in blood preservation has saved a billion lives in 60 years. Charles Drew University was born in a fire, the Watts Rebellion of 1965. In its aftermath a strong, vibrant and resilient institution was created committed to the ideal that health is a human right. Through excellence in education, clinical practice outreach and research that makes a real difference, the University continues four decades later to proudly serve people in the greatest need, in the largest underserved urban area in the nation -- and others like it everywhere.
For more information visit the Charles Drew University website at http://www.cdrewu.edu
ABOUT CHARLES DREW UNIVERSITY:
A private non-profit educational institution in the Watts-Willowbrook area of South Los Angeles, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science has provided quality college, graduate and post-graduate education and training to thousands of qualified minority and other students for more than 35 years. As part of its mission, the University has also provided urgently needed healthcare services to chronically underserved residents of the poorest communities in Los Angeles County, serving the 1.6 million citizens in its 94-square-mile service area. If this service area were a municipality, it would be the fifth largest city in the U.S.
The University is widely regarded as an innovative medical education university pioneering in teaching doctors and healthcare professionals, and in conducting quality research, to deal with the special needs of the poor, chronically ill populations in the inner city. By expanding relationships with local medical school, research institutions and community-based organizations, the University is focused on eliminating health care disparities by providing access to and delivery of vital health care services to underserved populations. The University has been remarkably successful in achieving its primary goal of producing physicians and other healthcare professionals who return to the community to serve people who are uninsured or underinsured. It has graduated over 500 medical doctors, 2,500 physician specialists, 2,000 physician assistants and hundreds of other health professionals.
Charles Drew University's unique environment of providing medical education has been lauded as a national model. Research shows both that its students become more committed to the mission as they progress through their medical education and that 10 years after graduation, 70% of Charles Drew University trained physicians are still working with underserved populations.