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Medical student to receive national neurology award by Cindy Abole Public Relations Second-year medical student Karon Hammonds is a step closer to realizing her dream of becoming a compassionate and skilled neurologist. She was among eight medical students who were tapped as 2008 sanofi-aventis minority scholars.   Hammonds and the seven other medical students received news of being selected to the sanofi-aventis Minority Scholarship Program in January. She and her fellow recipients will receive the award April 16 at the 59th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Chicago.   The award honors students whose interests are in neurology and advancing quality neuroscience care in patients. Hammonds is the second student from MUSC to receive this award. MUSC medical school alumnus Brandon Davis, M.D., received the award in 2005.   “It is an honor to be a recipient of this award,” said Hammonds. “It will help expose me to a variety of educational and networking opportunities in neurology and neurosciences that will further nourish my interest and future career in this specialty.”   A Johnston native, Hammonds is a 2006 chem-istry graduate of Emory University in Atlanta. She began medical school at MUSC in 2007. Hammonds has been actively involved as a member of the Student National Medical Association and serves as a student advisor with the College of Medicine’s Medical Education Development and Resource  Committee. She also is an alumnus of the South Carolina Governor’s School of Science and Math in Hartsville.   As part of the award, Hammonds will receive complementary registration as a participant of the AAN meeting, which includes general sessions and educational programs, including specialized neurosciences courses, research poster sessions and other activities.   Hammonds was nominated in 2007 by neurology professor Paul Pritchard III, M.D., who is director of Postgraduate Education in the Department of Neurosciences.   “This is a stellar achievement for Karon and MUSC in being recognized with this award,” said Pritchard. “Her new association with the academy (AAN) will allow her to meet fellow students who share similar interests and provide an opportunity to meet top neurologists and researchers in the field. This affiliation will help her as she establishes a career path and future in medicine.”     Friday, April 11, 2008 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.