Underwood Minority Scholarship Awarded

The Underwood Minority Scholarship Award is named for long-time Montgomery physician and the Medical Association’s 152nd President Jefferson Underwood III, M.D. Dr. Underwood became the first African-American male to serve as President of the Association in 2018-2019. The Underwood Minority Scholarship Award is for African-American individuals underrepresented in Alabama’s medical schools and the state’s physician workforce.

It is with great pride that we award the following candidate the 2020 Underwood Minority Scholarship Award, and we wish her all the best and hope this monetary award helps her accomplish her goals:

Alicia Williams, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine

A Fort Payne native, Alicia is headed for a career in general pediatrics where she will combine her leadership, clinical skills, knowledge of sports medicine and passion for providing care in rural underserved areas of Alabama. She has had the opportunity to work with teenage youth in Birmingham through Girlz Talk, an organization that teaches professionalism, safety and reproductive education. Alicia has also presented research to Governor Kay Ivey’s team and has collaborated with Secretary Jenna Ross and the Department of Early Childhood Education.

David Bramm, MD, Director of the Rural Medicine Program at UAB states, “Alicia is a breath of fresh air. She is strong without being overbearing, confident without being cocky, devoted to her patients and utterly reliable. I have been privileged to have been a preceptor for several medical schools since 1982 and fully believe Alicia is one of the best I have ever taught. I can recommend her without reservation for the Underwood scholarship.”

Alicia graduated from Mercer University with a 4.0 GPA and a Bachelor’s degree in biology. Currently, she attends UAB School of Medicine and is expected to graduate in 2021. Alicia’s personal interests including writing music, singing and playing basketball.

“I am very grateful to be the first recipient of a scholarship that honors such a respected and esteemed physician as Dr. Underwood,” Alicia states. “This scholarship serves great purpose towards my goals as a future physician, and Dr. Underwood’s leadership and service is a great example for me and other aspiring physicians like me.”