Dr. Samuel McAlpine
Medicine Honoree
Dr. Samuel McAlpine, a 1971 Biology graduate, began his journey toward excellence at Alabama A&M University. That journey continued at Meharry Medical College, where he earned his medical degree in 1975, launching a career defined by service, leadership, and dedication to healing.
With a legacy of impact that spans both coasts and countless lives, for over 40 years, Dr. McAlpine has served as a board-certified physician.
He dedicated 23 of those years to the Veterans Affairs Hospital System, specializing in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. There, he cared for the men and women who gave so much in service to our country.
Beyond the hospital walls, Dr. McAlpine helped shape the Medicare policy in California, influencing care standards for over a decade.
Today, he continues that commitment closer to home — as the Acting Assistant Chief Medical Officer for the Rural Health Medical Program, Inc., where he serves under-resourced patients across six counties in Alabama’s Black Belt.
His accolades reflect his excellence:
- Two-time Resident of the Year for the Greater Phoenix Combined Medical Residency
- Third Place in Research from the Southern California Rheumatology Society
- And Employee of the Month at the VA Medical Center in Las Vegas
Yet, through it all, Dr. McAlpine has never forgotten where it started — right here at Alabama A&M.As an active member of the San Francisco Bay Area Alumni Chapter, he remains a steadfast advocate for his alma mater. In 2022, his legacy grew even stronger with the establishment of the Dr. Samuel McAlpine Scholarship, opening doors for students in Science and Engineering to follow in his footsteps.
Dr. Samuel McAlpine is a true inspiration, from Normal’s soil to national impact.
He embodies what it means to "Start Here, and Go Anywhere.
