Dr. Schaal and Dr. Thorndyke named as honorary members of the Argentinean Women's Medical Society

Dr. Shlomit Schaal, Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences and Dr. Luanne Thorndyke, Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs at UMass Chan Medical School were recently named as honorary members of the Argentinean Women's Medical Society (SAMMED).

The society was created in the centenary year of the Argentine Medical Association (AMA) in June 1991. AMA is a scientific, non-profit organization that brings together doctors in the Argentine Republic. Its main objectives are specialization, improvement and professional updating of physicians. The current registry is more than 37,000 members.

Cecilia Grierson, the first Argentine woman physician, belonged to the group of founding members. Although she was never recognized within the official authorities of the AMA, in the first crisis of the AMA, she was elected to serve as the president of the session of July 27, 1907. At present, women doctors represent 40% of the Institution's registry.

Dr. Liliana Licciardi, the current president of SAMMED said: “SAMMED aims to encourage the active participation of women in Medical Sciences in all its branches and specialties; to promote the interrelation among its members; to encourage the training and education of women linked to medical work; and to establish and increase intellectual and cultural links with related national and foreign companies.”