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COM student receives national recognition Erika Manning, a fourth-year College of Medicine student, received the Pat Numann Medical Student Award from the Association of Women Surgeons for 2005. Manning was selected based on her expressed interest in surgery, potential leadership qualities, and research contributions to the field of surgery. Carolyn Reed, M.D., a professor of surgery at MUSC, met Manning when she began expressing interest in surgery during her first year.   “It quickly became apparent that this was a woman of vision, determination, organization and boundless energy,” Reed said. Manning’s frequent visits to her thoracic surgical clinic for observation helped inspire Reed to be one of three women su With the help of some faculty members, Manning created a women-in-surgery interest group for first-and second- year medical students, which led to the development of a more formal shadow program through which interested medical students could pair with surgeons and follow them to clinics and operating rooms.    She hosted the initial group at her home, an informal setting to cultivate conversations between female surgeons, residents, and students. The shadow program moved these opportunities to real-life settings, and according to Reed, this early exposure significantly increased the number of women interested in surgery.    Due to her leadership role on the MUSC campus, Manning was invited to participate in the making of a video about the history of women at MUSC to celebrate this past Women’s History Month. On a committee populated by faculty, Manning volunteered to do the research and draft the script for the video.    Since the making of the video, Manning created a Web site highlighting women’s history and continues to update it with information about women of distinction.    “Needless to say, she has made a lasting contribution to the university. She will continue to be an excellent role model, and I look forward to her entry into a surgical residency, where I am sure she will distinguish herself as a leader,” Reed said.   Manning is the third recipient of the Pat Numann Medical Student Award. Kelley Hutcheson, a student at Duke University’s School of Medicine, received the award in 2004 and Sudah Jayaraman, from the University of California’s Davis School of Medicine, was the 2003 recipient.      Friday, Nov. 4, 2005 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.