Heersink School of Medicine student David Strickland has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious Sara Crews Finley, M.D., Endowed Leadership Scholarship for 2026. Awarded to medical students who excel academically and display outstanding leadership, integrity, and service, this annual full-tuition scholarship recognizes a rising third-year student who ranks in the top 25% of their class.
“Dr. Finley was a force—not just in medicine and in the state of Alabama, but nationally and even globally,” Strickland said. “Just to be mentioned in the same sentence as her, let alone to receive or be considered for an award named for her, is such an honor. It feels validating that I'm on the right path, because if I can do a fraction of what she did, that will have been an incredibly successful career and a very fulfilling one as well.”
Strickland’s dedication to clinical excellence, intellectual curiosity, business expertise, and serving others is an honorable reflection of the legacy established by Finley, who co-founded the first medical genetics program in the Southeast with her husband, Wayne Finley, M.D., Ph.D., and served as co-director of the Laboratory of Medical Genetics at UAB for more than 30 years.
“We interviewed remarkable finalists once again this year, and we were particularly impressed with David’s natural leadership skills and his commitment to serving others,” said Sara J. Finley, daughter of Sara Crews Finley, M.D. “He has exhibited these qualities in sports, college life, medical school, business endeavors, community service, and clinical work.”
Born and raised in Alabama, Strickland earned his undergraduate degree at The University of Alabama (UA) and has held numerous leadership positions at both UA and UAB, including president of the UAB Business in Medicine Interest Group, assistant director of events for Student Senate, Medical Student Services (MSS) study group leader, president of Alpha Tau Omega, and attorney general for the University of Alabama Student Government Association.
Strickland earned an accelerated MBA with a focus on public health at UA during his gap year. During this time, he worked as a commercialization associate for Acuity Edge, Inc., evaluating emerging technologies and providing recommendations to NASA's patent licensing program regarding which inventions had commercial potential.
During his MBA year at UA, Strickland spent a summer in Portugal for a business entrepreneurship program. He cites this experience alongside his involvement with the UAB Business in Medicine Interest Group as valuable to understanding the many facets of medicine.
“I think business is an often-neglected part of medicine that's very important,” Strickland said. “Not only understanding how to run a practice but also things like insurance, taxes, affordability, and equity of care—all things you're not taught in undergrad if you're not seeking it out.”
Community engagement is also a defining element of Strickland’s experience. He served as a Spanish interpreter in underserved clinics, volunteered extensively in multiple hospital departments, mentored prospective and current medical students, and helped raise funds for programs serving individuals with disabilities. Strickland also continues his volunteer efforts by supporting elderly patients through companionship calls and assisting uninsured ophthalmology patients,
“Dr. Finley was very good at making sure everyone’s needs were met, and I feel like that component of medicine can fall by the wayside,” Strickland said. “I hope that I’m able to live up to her legacy of providing quality care to each patient, treating everyone with respect, and making sure everyone feels heard and cared for.”
Strickland will be recognized at the Heersink School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony on Aug. 15, where he will receive a new white coat with special insignia designating him as a Sara Crews Finley Scholar. He is the school’s 12th Finley Scholar.