July 2012 – Research Assistant Professor Sarah Street, PhD, has been selected by the medical student body to give the 2012 Whitehead Lecture. The Whitehead Awards will be held on August 15th, 2012, at noon in 2204 MBRB.

This annual lecture honors Dr. Richard Whitehead, who served as dean of the school of medicine from 1890 to 1905. The Whitehead Lecturer is selected by the medical student body; each first-, second- and third-year student can nominate one faculty member. Speakers are chosen based on their outstanding contributions in teaching and clinical work at UNC. Lecturers receive a certificate in recognition of their distinguished contributions to the science and art of medicine, and are designated as Honorary Members of the Whitehead Society. Being selected as the Whitehead lecturer is one of the highest honors bestowed upon professors during their time at UNC.

The Whitehead Medical Society (WMS) is the official student government of the UNC School of Medicine and has been in existence since before the 1950s. It consists of all students in the M.D. degree program and serves the social and academic interests of the UNC medical students. Since its inception, the WMS has provided leadership and enthusiasm that has often been the driving force for improvement and innovation at UNC School of Medicine.

Past Whitehead Lecturers include: Romulo Colindres, Christopher Baker, James Scatliff, Harold Pillsbury, Henry Lesesne, Harvey Hamrick, Patricia Rivera, Anthony Lindsey, Stephen Kizer, David McIlwain, Nicholas Shaheen, Robert Bashford, Pamela Vick, Ronald Falk, James Evans, Edward Kernick, Susan Hadler, Arrel Toews, Kurt Gilliland, and Alan Cross.