For Terri F. Katz, M.D. ’86, RESD ’87, and her husband, Lawrence A. Katz, M.D. ’81, RESD ’84, having a career-defining experience at the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) is something of a family tradition.
Terri, a geriatrician, and Lawrence, a cardiologist and a clinical instructor in medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, were high school sweethearts. They got married while Lawrence was attending medical school at GW. As her husband pursued his M.D., Terri herself was inspired to apply to GW, and was accepted into the medical program. She graduated five years after Lawrence, in 1986. Both also completed residency programs at GW Hospital.
Their eldest daughter was born while Terri was in her third year at medical school, and in time, she too developed an interest in medicine. Elyse B. Lavine, M.D. ’11, followed in her parents’ footsteps to a medical education at GW, graduating from SMHS in 2011, and is now an emergency room doctor. The outstanding education that her daughter received at GW deepened Terri’s gratitude. “They took her and she’s become an amazing doctor,” she said.
Both Terri and Lawrence wanted to express their appreciation of GW with a philanthropic gift. Since they both will celebrate a milestone Reunion this year—Terri’s 30th and Lawrence’s 35th—they knew that they wanted to make a special gift to honor the occasion while also recognizing one of the highest priorities for SMHS: increasing scholarship support for medical students.
“I spent a lot of time thinking about how to give back and wanted to make the most impact,” Terri said. After careful deliberation, the couple decided to support the Adopt-a-Doc Scholarship program. The Adopt-a-Doc Scholarship is a unique program that not only offers tuition support for the same GW student throughout that student’s four years of medical school, but it also presents the opportunity for the student to develop a relationship with the donor and form a mentor-mentee bond.
“I’m excited to give back to GW, and I’m very excited about mentoring a student,” said Terri.
Staying connected to GW as alumni is a rewarding experience for Lawrence and Terri, and they look forward to celebrating their respective Reunions at this year’s Alumni Weekend. They encourage their 1981 and 1986 classmates to consider making a special gift to mark the occasion and to recognize their gratitude for the careers and lives that their GW medical education has afforded them. “I hope many of our classmates are able to attend and encourage everyone to support our medical school and today’s medical students however they can,” Terri said.
As alumni, parents of an alumna, and donors, Terri and Lawrence remain deeply grateful for their experiences at GW. “Going to GW made an enormous difference in my life that still impacts my career today,” said Terri.
