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MD/PhD student named scholar award recipient  Anna-Maria Clark is living her childhood dream of becoming a doctor. A Florence native, Clark began her first year as an MD/PhD student this summer. On Aug. 1, she was presented with the 2006 University Medical Associates (UMA) scholar award as a student in both the colleges of Medicine and Graduate Studies’ Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP).   College of Graduate Studies Dean Perry V. Halushka, M.D., Ph.D., College of Medicine Dean Jerry Reves, M.D., and UMA President John Feussner, M.D., presented the award to Clark in the College of Medicine’s Dean’s office.   “Anna-Maria was considered one of our strongest applicants this year and the admissions committee was delighted that she chose to join our program,” said Halushka. “She is truly worthy of the honor of the scholarship and we expect her to carry on the tradition of excellence that comes with it.”   Clark expressed her gratitude to the UMA board and appreciated their recognition of her hard work as an undergraduate and the opportunities offered through this award. She hopes it will motivate her towards achieving her goal of becoming an academic pediatric oncologist.   A summa cum laude graduate of Wofford College this past spring, Clark completed an internship in pediatric oncology immunology education at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., in 2005. Prior to that she spent her summer at MUSC conducting research. She is currently finishing a summer rotation in the tumor immunology lab of David Cole, M.D., Hollings Cancer Center’s surgical oncology division.   MUSC’s Medical Scientist Training program is a challenging, competitive program designed to rigorously train students to conduct research that has the potential to impact human health and disease.   Now in its fourth year, the UMA Scholars Program is considered a distinguished award presented to an outstanding first-year MSTP student who is a South Carolina native. It is based on academic excellence and leadership qualities. The award includes a monetary stipend and pays for first-year academic expenses. It reflects the fiscal and philosophical commitment of the UMA Board of directors to the training of the next generation of academic physician-scientists. The scholarship is unique in that it is one of the only MSTP scholarships funded by an academic physicians’ practice plan.     Friday, Aug. 11, 2006 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 catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.