“Education, Education, Education.” These were the words that rang throughout the Culp Auditorium as former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders addressed a large crowd at the 18th annual Student Research Forum on Thursday.
In her address, “Education and Personal Responsibility,” Elders emphasized how important education is to the future of the next generation.
“I don’t have to tell any of you how important education is. All you have to do is try ignorance for a little while,” she said.
Elders, who served as director of the Arkansas Department of Health, told the medical students that the future depends on their research and the simple things they do to improve health.
“We understand the interactions of lots of drugs that we didn’t understand before. We’re getting new drugs to treat Alzheimer’s,” she said. “And I want you all to hurry up because you know I’m getting to that age now, and I want you to take good care of me when I get old.”
Elders said that the medical students shouldn’t feel like they aren’t making a difference. She also told them to have a vision and to be leaders.
“You’re going to need to be the drum majors for leadership in your communities,” she said.
Elders went on to say that there were four things the students need to take with them when they graduate: a voice, a vision, a scroll in hand and a song in their hearts.
“We live in a health illiterate society. I think you’ve got to make a difference,” she said. “You’ve got to begin to deal with those problems.”
Elders encouraged the students to be aware of the issues, build networks and communicate. She told the students to “get involved” in education because they will be responsible for the next generation.
“Every day in America 3,000 young people start smoking and 1,000 of them will die from complications related to smoking,” she said. “This is an issue that we’ve left for you to deal with.”
Elders congratulated the medical students for their hard work but told them that they had to continue working hard and making a difference.
“Health is more than absence of disease,” she said. “It’s about education, jobs and communities.”
Elders said it was up to the medical students to provide proper health care for everyone in the 21st century.
“You have a responsibility to lead this transformation,” she said.
Afterwards, Elders received a plaque of appreciation and then the students who participated in the forum were presented with their awards. Elders also gave a presentation entitled “Healthcare in the 21st Century” on Friday, the final day of the forum.

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