Throughout January, the Lewis Katz School of Medicine (Katz) community came together across the North Philadelphia and St. Luke’s campuses to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a series of programs centered on activism, service, and education.
The month began with thoughtful conversations that invited reflection and dialogue, including Prescribing Change: Addressing the Impact of Bias on Care and A Conversation with Linn Washington Jr., which explored the role of storytelling, accountability, and community engagement in advancing justice. Together, these sessions underscored Dr. King’s enduring call to confront injustice and care for one another through action.
“Dr. King’s birthday has always been a day grounded in learning, service, and action, but to truly honor his enduring legacy we have to go further. It goes far beyond just one day.” said Amy J. Goldberg, MD, FACS, the Marjorie Joy Katz Dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. “At Katz, this means creating an environment where education,research and community partnerships are rooted in excellence and purpose. And it means ensuring that every member of our community has the opportunity to learn, contribute, and thrive.”
That commitment to service was also reflected through a celebration of care held in commemoration of MLK Day, including An Afternoon of Health Screenings at Zion Baptist Church, supported by students, faculty, and community partners. The screenings provided critical preventive care, helping identify undiagnosed health conditions and creating an important safety net for individuals who may otherwise lack access to care. Rooted in compassion, intention, and humanity, the health screenings embodied Dr. King’s call to serve and uplift communities through action.
“It’s important for us as Temple students to really be a part of our community, beyond just showing up to classes, because we have so much, we can learn from and share with one another,” said Kristine Chin, a fourth year medical student and one of the student organizer involved in the health screenings. “There is a lot of great work being done by the community and by the students, and this health screening is just one of the many wonderful collaborations that we will do together.”
At the St. Luke’s regional campus, MLK Day programming highlighted the intersection of healthcare, leadership, and service. Events included a keynote address by Jeani Garcia, Executive Director of Promise Neighborhoods, as well as interactive student-led workshops examining Dr. King’s “triple evils” through a healthcare lens and applying his framework of nonviolent social change to modern medical practice. Additional programming focused on professional development, service, and community connection, including an MLK Breakfast Reception at Lehigh University and opportunities for learners to engage in volunteer service across the region.
These efforts were made possible in large part through the leadership and dedication of the Student Government Association Community Service Board, whose members played a central role in coordinating many of the MLK Month activities. Their commitment to service and engagement helped bring Dr. King’s values to life across the Katz community.
In addition to conversation and learning, members of the Katz community demonstrated their commitment to service through a month-long donation drive supporting local organizations that serve children and families where students, faculty, and staff contributed books, activity materials, and wellness items. Students from the Physician Assistant Program and members of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) also assembled blessing bags for community members in need. Filled with essential items, the bags served as a tangible expression of care and solidarity, reinforcing the idea that meaningful change often begins with collective, everyday acts of service.
Together, this year’s programming affirmed that honoring Dr. King’s legacy is more than a single day of observance. It is an ongoing commitment to learning, reflection, service, and action, values that continue to shape our work as an academic medical community.