Jerome Puryear Jr., MD
Class of 1997

Dr. Jerome Puryear Jr. credits his late mother, a surgical nurse, for sparking his interest in medicine. Now an interventional and diagnostic neuroradiologist at Kettering Network Radiology Inc. in Kettering, Ohio, Dr. Puryear continues to be inspired by his mother because of her commitment to something she loved to do. 

“Early on I saw her commitment to something she loved to do,” Puryear said. “Plus, I had a keen interest in science in high school. From the beginning, I had a special affinity for the oncology population. The death of my mother from multiple myeloma even further inspired me to address oncology patients.” 

In 2011, Puryear and his wife, Dr. Latonya Brown-Puryear, established a scholarship for the School of Medicine in memory of his mother, Ethel Robinson Puryear, and to help nurture a more diverse student body at the School of Medicine. The scholarship, the Dr. Jerome Puryear Jr. and Dr. Latonya Brown-Puryear Diversity Scholarship Endowment, is awarded annually to an entering medical student who demonstrates financial need, with first preference given to qualified students who are members of minority groups. 

Puryear, in commenting on his experience at the Marshall School of Medicine, said the faculty commitment to students was unparalleled. 

“They were good at what they did and they really wanted you to learn,” he said. “The overall experience was fantastic.  For this reason, I think every student and alumnus should contribute to the school as well.” 

Date Posted: Monday, January 30, 2017