WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society is committed to educating the next generation of physicians.
This coming weekend, the group of Palm Beach County doctors will trade their exam rooms for the classrooms of Inlet Grove Community High School in Riviera Beach to continue their mission.
SPECIAL SECTION: Black History Month
The 2020 Healthcare and Science Stars of Tomorrow Career Symposium is one of many events the T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society hosts throughout the year. The goal is to advance minority students who are entering the medical field.
The organization is named in honor of Dr. Thomas Leroy Jefferson, the first African American physician in West Palm Beach.
Many referred to Dr. Jefferson as the "bicycle doctor" because he made his rounds and house calls on a bicycle throughout Palm Beach County.
He moved from Louisiana around 1900 with an eye on opportunity.
"There was a big construction boom at the time, so lots of people came and they needed healthcare and he came to [West Palm Beach] to address that," said Dr. Tiffany McCalla, President of the T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society.
"He rode his bicycle to go see his patients. That story within itself is of one who started out and didn’t have a lot, but wanted to make sure we served underprivileged communities," said Shenetria Moore, a member of the organization.
The T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society continues to carry Dr. Jefferson’s legacy of empowering the community by providing free access to healthcare and education.
The 2020 Healthcare and Science Starts of Tomorrow Career Symposium will take place this Saturday, Feb. 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Inlet Grove Community High School in Riviera Beach.
Dr. David Satcher, the former Surgeon General of the United States, will be the keynote speaker.