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The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Graduates 614

Health Care Professionals: 

Gary Shorb, President and CEO, Methodist Healthcare, to

Speak at Commencement

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Memphis, Tenn. (May 7, 2009) – On Friday, May 29, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) will graduate 614 students.  The spring graduation ceremony will be held at 1:30 p.m. at FedEx Forum, 191 Beale Street.  Hershel P. Wall, MD, chancellor of UT Health Science Center, will preside over the ceremony.  Jan Simek, acting president of the University of Tennessee, will confer the degrees. 

 

Gary Shorb, president and CEO of Methodist Healthcare since October 2001, will offer the commencement address to the graduates and their families.  Shorb joined Methodist in 1990 as executive vice president.  Previously, he served as president of the Regional Medical Center at Memphis for four years. Prior to his health care career, Shorb was a project engineer with Exxon and a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy.  He received a B.S. in civil engineering from Clemson University and an M.B.A. from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis).

 

His extensive community service includes serving on the boards of Memphis Tomorrow, the National Civil Rights Museum, the Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce (2005 Board Chairman), the Memphis Bioworks Foundation and the University of Memphis Board of Visitors.  He has earned numerous awards during his career including a 2007 Meritorious Service Award by the Tennessee Hospital Association, a 2005 Alexis de Tocqueville leadership award from United Way of the Mid-South, and a 2004 Corporate Leadership Award from Volunteer Memphis’ Corporate Volunteer Council.

 

Under Shorb's leadership, Methodist formally affiliated with UTHSC in 2002, making it the primary teaching site for health care students and residents at UT Health Science Center.  Methodist University Hospital is a 693-bed facility located in the Memphis Medical Center near the UTHSC main campus.

 

The 614 graduates are from all six of the UT Health Science Center’s colleges: 146 from the College of Allied Health Sciences; 81 from the College of Dentistry; 46 from the College of Graduate Health Sciences; 137 from the College of Medicine; 40 from the College of Nursing, and 164 from the College of Pharmacy.

 

As the flagship statewide academic health system, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is focused on a four-tier mission of education, research, clinical care and public service, all in support of a single goal: to improve the health of Tennesseans.  Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main campus is located in Memphis and includes six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy.  UTHSC has additional College of Medicine and College of Pharmacy campuses in Knoxville, and a College of Medicine campus in Chattanooga.  For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.

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