Join Tom M. George, MD, the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) CEO, this October for a quarterly State of MSMS update, an MSMS History of Medicine presentation, and an international presentation on cancer immunotherapy from Cuba.
State of MSMS – Quarterly Membership Update
Join us for an evening of insight and advocacy as Doctor George, MSMS Chief Executive Officer, delivers his quarterly State of MSMS Address to the membership on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Doctor George will provide an update on membership activities, the upcoming elections, including Michigan Doctors’ Political Action Committee (MDPAC) endorsements, and other timely issues of interest to physicians. He will be joined by Kate Dorsey, MSMS Director of Government Relations.
While the presentation is free to attend, registration is required to receive the Zoom link. To register and secure your spot, please click here.
MSMS History of Medicine – The Legacy of Black Medical Schools and Departments in the United States
Join Anita Moncrease, MD, clinical professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at Wayne State University School of Medicine, on Monday, October 12, 2026, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. for a compelling presentation exploring the profound impact and historical significance of Black medical schools and departments in the United States.
The lecture begins with a look at the world’s earliest medical institutions in Africa before turning its focus home to examine how Michigan physicians played a vital role in shaping the nation's Black medical education landscape.
Key highlights:
- William Henry Fitzbutler, MD: The first African American graduate of the University of Michigan School of Medicine and founder of Louisville National Medical College—the first Black-owned and operated medical school in the United States.
- Charles Burleigh Purvis, MD: The second Black faculty member at Howard University Medical Department and uncle to University of Michigan Class of 1911 graduate Augustus G. Purvis, MD. Doctor Purvis became the first African American physician to treat a sitting president following the shooting of James A. Garfield in 1881.
- Anderson Ruffin Abbott, MD: University of Michigan medical alumnus who attended to President Abraham Lincoln on his deathbed and later served as surgeon-in-chief at Provident Hospital in Chicago, America’s first Black-owned and operated hospital.
The presentation is free to attend, but registration is required to receive the Zoom link. To register and secure your spot, please click here.
MSMS Goes International – Cancer Immunotherapy from Cuba
MSMS has partnered with medical colleagues abroad. This pre-recorded session will feature Rolando Perez, MD, the current Vice President of the Cuban Academy of Sciences. He is a molecular biologist who conducted postgraduate research at the University of Nice in France and Uppsala University in Sweden. He has published more than 200 scientific articles and is considered a pioneer in the field of cancer immunotherapy.
Cuba is well known for its investment in primary care, but less well known is its substantial investment in biomedical research and pharmaceutical development. Cuban scientists have made notable contributions in areas including vaccines, immunology, infectious diseases and cancer research.
Despite the longstanding challenges in U.S.-Cuba relations, academic and educational exchanges between the two countries remain possible under U.S. regulations. Doctor Perez's lecture originated from an educational exchange offered to MSMS last year. Because of the ongoing challenges with Cuba's electrical grid and internet connectivity, the lecture has been prerecorded.
This presentation will take place on Monday, October 12, 2026, 8:00 - 8:45 p.m. (immediately following the History of Medicine.) While the presentation is free to attend, registration is required to receive the Zoom link. To register and secure your spot, please click here.
All of these presentations will be recorded, so if you are unable to attend the live sessions, you will still be able to view it at a later date.
Need assistance? Contact the MSMS Education team at 517-336-5790 or educationdept@msms.org.