Another successful year for the students taking part in the BMEP program is nearing its end. All of the students serve as ambassadors for those who will follow in their footsteps, just as they are following in the footsteps of the twenty-five-year-long line of BMEP alumni.

This year, as in previous years, some of the mentors of the current group of BMEP students are themselves former BMEP students, who have chosen to return to the United States to continue their research and/or clinical practices. This year several BMEP alumni were invited guests, and in some cases speakers, at the FORUM II held at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, Connecticut in March. Thanks go to W. Scott Long, M.D., Ph.D. and Andreas Beutler, M. D., for their participation in the FORUM II as guest speakers this year. Our thanks also go to those at the University of Connecticut Health Center School of Medicine who helped with setting up the FORUM II again this year. Peter J. Deckers, M.D., Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine, was instrumental in arranging for us to hear Dr. Steven Strongwater, Director of Clinical Operations and Hospital Director, speak about the "U.S. Healthcare System: Challenges and the Future." Once again, Ralph Arcari, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Academic Resources and Services and Director of the Medical School's Lyman Maynard Stowe Library, not only made arrangements for us to use the library's facilities, but he also spoke about "Medical Education and its History and the Future of Medicine."

My personal thanks go to: Dr. Hilmar Stolte and to Oliver Ortmann in the IALS/BMEP office at the Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, especially for help with the U.S. Alumni Directory; to Birgit Heller in her office at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, for her help with the preparation of the yearbook for publication; and to Peg Bailey for her wisdom and friendship and her unfailing memory of all people and places related to BMEP.

Best wishes to the 2004-2005 Academic Year BMEP students in their medical careers. I hope that this year in the U.S. will be remembered by them as a pleasant and professionally useful time.

Sincerely,

Laurie B. Williams
U.S. Program Coordinator