A
t their 50th Medical School Reunion in
2017, the Class of 1967 established
the Joseph F. Smiddy, MD, Altruism
Award in recognition of the lifelong
service of their classmate. A pulmonologist
by training, Smiddy is the medical director of
The Health Wagon based in Wise, Va. He has
traveled the steep mountains of Appalachia
with Health Wagon staff providing free
medical care to indigent patients. In order to
drive tractor trailer medical mission vehicles,
he trained at the CCS Tractor Trailer School
and obtained a CDL license. Smiddy has also
made over 40 medical mission trips to Belize
and worked in India and Peru.
Class representative Robert S. Brown, Sr.,
MD '67, PhD, COL (Ret.) says that, although
Smiddy himself shuns recognition, his fellow
alumni wanted to honor their classmate.
"Joe's secret life is his remarkable devotion
and energy that he expends in providing
medical and dental care to thousands of
underserved people in Southwest Virginia.
The class enthusiastically decided that
Joe Smiddy deserved recognition, and we
thought our future physicians needed to
be reminded that altruism is the heart of
medical education and practice," he says.
"It is the intention of the Class of 1967
to make this one of the most substantial
awards in the history of the University of
Virginia's School of Medicine."
Bijan Morshedi, SMD '20, is the first
recipient of the award. His dedication to
community service began in high school.
As a medical student at UVA, he has
volunteered at community outreach events
and joined two programs that connect
medically underserved populations with
healthcare resources: The Latino Health
Initiative and iSERVE. "As I progress toward
a residency in obstetrics and gynecology,
I plan to focus my efforts on medically
underserved populations and build upon the
experience I have obtained to tailor the care
I provide for each unique patient," he says.
Congratulations to Bijan Morshedi on
this award and for matching at EVMS for
residency. And thanks to the Class of 1967
for establishing the award and supporting
current students. Learn more about ways to
support students at the School of Medicine
at UVAMedalum.org/giving.
Honoring a Classmate
Bijan Morshedi with
Barry Collins, executive
director of the UVA
Medical Alumni
Association and Medical
School Foundation
Joseph F. Smiddy, MD, '67
"It is the intention of the
Class of 1967 to make
this one of the most
substantial awards in
the history of the
University of Virginia's
School of Medicine."
ROBERT S. BROWN, SR., MD,
PHD, COL (RET.)
P H I L A N T H R O P Y I N A C T I O N
Spring 2020 33
