Donor spotlight
Dr. Saundrett Gibbs Arrindell
Dr. Saundrett Gibbs Arrindell has contributed to the UGA College of Pharmacy’s enhancement fund for 25 years, something Saundrett always knew she would do.
A passion for learning
“My professors were all invested in me and my classmates, so I wanted to be able to invest back into the University of Georgia in order to provide a quality education for students in the future,” said Saundrett.
Despite retiring from both teaching medicine and practicing dermatology several years ago, Saundrett hasn’t stopped working. The former faculty member at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, still attends grand rounds, during which local dermatologists bring in cases for discussion.
In fact, she still receives calls from physicians, patients and students interested in her career path or looking for referrals and advice. Currently, Saundrett and her husband are renovating a home in Douglas, Georgia near family, and will split their time between there and Nashville.
A native of Ocilla, Georgia, Saundrett attended Middle Georgia College for two years before transferring to UGA to study pharmacy. She first considered pharmacy as a career because she liked the idea of learning how medications interacted with the body and its chemistry, and it was a way to help others.
In her own words
“The professors really invested their time into the students to prepare us,” said Saundrett. “The school had a lot of structure and really strived to educate us concerning how to be great pharmacists.”
-Dr. Saundrett Gibbs Arrindell
A self-described people person
During her pharmacy internship, the self-described “people person” realized that she wanted more patient contact, stating that personal connections with others were some of her most value experiences. She entered medical school at the University of Iowa, where she was drawn to dermatology.
“I’m a very visual person,” said Saundrett. “Being able to look at the skin and know immediately what the problem was—or at least the top three conditions that it could be, and how to treat it—was very rewarding.”
PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR TRAINING PHYSICIANS TREATING SKIN OF COLOR
To obtain additional training, Saundrett next went to Vanderbilt, where she is the first (and only) African-American resident to be trained in dermatology. When Saundrett became a faculty member, she strove to improve dermatology training so that physicians would be prepared to treat all skin types.
“It’s important to have the opportunity to go to a doctor or a specialist that understands your skin type,” said Saundrett.
Saundrett also co-authored a book chapter in “Dermatology for Skin of Color,” and she has provided financial support to fund training for physicians to better treat skin of color. This commitment to others is reflected in the support Saundrett has provided to the University of Georgia over the past 25 years.
“I’ve always been proud of the University of Georgia and to say that I’m a Bulldog. For me, [giving back] was a no-brainer.”
