Pre-medical students, alumni gather at Doctors’ Homecoming Breakfast

Video and story by Jacquelyn Kellar | Broadcast Managing Editor

Gathered at the Baylor Sciences Building on Saturday morning were men and women of all ages, who come from all walks of life. The one thing they have in common: they all began their journey in medicine at Baylor.

The Doctor’s Homecoming Breakfast welcomed not only alumni, but current students and Hillis Scholars. Dr. Hillis himself attended the event and was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award for his 30 years of service teaching at Baylor, as well as kick-starting the Medical Humanities program, the first of its kind in the US.

“We are very proud of this event, and we want to see more and more physicians here,” said Director of Medical Humanities Dr. Lauren Barron. “Dr. Rich Sanker, who is with the pre-health Program and the Medical Humanities Program have partnered together to throw this event, and we want it to get bigger and better every year.”

The Hillis Scholar Program was set up as an endowment fund to foster interest in pursuing research for the best and brightest pre-medical students.

“The Hillis Scholar Program has helped me a lot because Colonel Matthews was mentored by Dr. Hillis himself,” said Tucson Ariz. senior Austin MacDonald. “Now Colonel Matthews is in the Air Force, and I’m also a cadet in the Air Force ROTC here at Baylor studying to a flight surgeon in the future. The mentorship went full circle.”