The Wayne County Medical Society Foundation has awarded Wayne State University School of Medicine student Matthew Johnson the Charles C. Vincent, M.D., Memorial Scholarship.

Johnson, a member of the Class of 2019, received the $2,500 annual award at a foundation event held in May at the Detroit Golf Club based on academic merit and community involvement, areas Johnson is passionate about. He served as vice president of the school's Black Medical Association/Student National Medical Association and was a committee chair for the BMA's annual Reach Out to Youth event, giving back to the community alongside the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The office also helped Johnson reach his academic and professional goals by enabling him to succeed in coursework and in the United State Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 national board exam, he said.

"I did not expect to receive an award. Every medical student works hard, but none of us expect to be recognized. Receiving this award after persevering through these academically-challenging preclinical years made it that much more rewarding," he said.

Dr. Vincent was a 1958 graduate and former associate dean of Admissions for the School of Medicine. He received the school's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1981. The Wayne County Medical Society established the scholarship in 2000 to honor the obstetrician and gynecologist's work as an advocate for the health and wellbeing of the Detroit community, including his efforts to reduce teen pregnancies.

"I wasn't aware of the legacy of Dr. Vincent until I was notified that I would be receiving the award. As I researched him further, I learned his life's work was spent serving the people. He had a special interest in the plight of young pregnant mothers," Johnson said. "As I talked to others in the community about the scholarship, it became clear to me that Dr. Vincent's impact extended beyond the medical field. Business people, educators and scientists in the city of Detroit all held him in high regard and knew of his incredible accomplishments, which speaks to how transcendent his work was. I was told by several physicians who knew Dr. Vincent personally that I reminded them of him, which was a true honor."

Johnson, a graduate of University of Detroit Jesuit High School, plans to pursue a medical career in Radiation Oncology, a specialty he became interested in during his undergraduate at the University of Michigan, where he received a bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering.

His interest was solidified after attending an open house hosted by the WSU Division of Radiation Oncology at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center's Gershenson Radiation Oncology Center in Detroit as a first-year medical student.

"The outstanding attending physicians and residents took us behind the scenes and shared their approach to complicated cancer cases. I was also able to get an overview of radiation physics and treatment plans," he said. "Moreover, Wayne State University School of Medicine encourages all students to pursue research. During the summer following my first year of medical school I was able to work with the William Beaumont Department of Radiation Oncology, where I conducted the retrospective study 'Operable Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer treated with Stereotactic Radiotherapy compared to Surgical Lobectomy: Failure Patterns and Implications for Management.'"

The study will be presented in September at the American Society for Radiation Oncology Annual Meeting in San Diego.

Johnson also traveled to the Christian Medical College of Vellore in India with other medical students last summer. He worked with the college's Radiation Oncology Department, where he witnessed the health disparities that arise in a setting with limited resources.

"It was inspiring to see how the oncologists overcame these challenges to provide excellent patient care," he said.