8 own classmates in the gross anatomy , histology , and neuroanatomy labs .
Alice ’ s father died of a heart attack on the night before she was to take her national board exam for medicine .
It was a two-day exam lasting eight hours each day . Don and Holt , Alice ’ s brother , felt that Alice should take the exam even though it would be emotionally trying , and were concerned that she might not do as well as expected . She took the first day of the exam and went to the funeral home that night , and then back for the second day of the exam . She returned the next day for her father ’ s funeral in Moulton .
Alice and Don left from the cemetery and went to the airport for an already planned trip to Tahiti , Morea , and Bora Bora . When they were ready to return , the airline informed them that they had cancelled their reservation since there were two reservations in the name “ Morgan .” There were no seats left on their flight . Alice had to send a wire to the UAB internal medicine chairman stating that she was not able to make her flight and therefore could not return to class on time . Returning to the airport the next day , there were still no seats available , and a second wire had to be sent to UAB . In order to get home , they agreed to fly from Tahiti to Auckland , New Zealand to Pago Pago , American Samoa to Honolulu to Los Angeles to Atlanta , and finally into Birmingham , eight thousand miles out of their way . Alice left from the Birmingham Airport and went straight to class with no rest and lots of jet lag .
She aced the exams and went on to do her internship and residency .
Her internal medicine rotation was followed by general surgery . This went from early morning to late at night and at times 48 to 72 hours without rest . Six months later while doing a psychiatry rotation studying anxiety , depression , schizophrenia , and learning interviewing skills , she realized she was having a delayed grief reaction following the death of her father without time to grieve . Alice dealt with it by throwing herself into her work .
It was not long before she came to another crossroads in her life . The decision to be an internist or a neurologist was weighing heavily on her heart .
“ In the fourth year you have to decide ,” she explained . It was a big decision . “ At the time the neuro program wasn ’ t very good ,” she said .
Alice ’ s 4th year senior surgical rotation was in otolaryngology head and neck surgery ( ENT ). Scrubbing in on a 12-hour tongue / jaw / neck surgery for cancer set her on her next path . Never had she seen head and neck anatomy this way , but she was able to answer questions from the residents because of her studies for her PhD in anatomy . The residents told her she would be good in otolaryngology and suggested she meet with Dr . James J . Hick about becoming a resident in the program . She did , he shook her hand , and told her she was accepted into the program without a written application or going through the match . Her father always told her a handshake was a gentleman ’ s agreement that was not to be broken . “ Really , ENT chose me more than I chose it ,” she said . After going through four years of otolaryngology-head and
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Don and Alice Morgan celebrated their 50th Wedding anniversary in Europe on a long awaited trip . Nov 7 , 2019
neck surgery she took her final exam . In 1987 , Alice Holt Hardin Morgan became the first woman in Alabama to finish the program .
The same year Alice opened her practice of otolaryngology in Cullman and has continued to work daily . In 1996 she combined her practice with one in Birmingham to form ENT Associates of Alabama , PC . Several of her partners come to Cullman one day a week to offer otology , facial plastics , and head and neck services . Bruce Morgan , MD , PhD joined in 2008 and works in Cullman daily .
“ The public thinks we must be related , but we are not ,” she laughed . “ It has caused some confusion to have two Drs . Morgan , MD , PhD in the same practice and not be related .”
Alice has always been interested in allergy and passed the fellowship exam in allergy by American Academy of Otolaryngologic Allergy ( AAOA ). In 1996 she was elected to the national board of AAOA and served on several national committees for 25 years . She has been a fellowship examiner since 1995 to the present . She has given allergy lectures and instructions courses at national basic allergy courses . Invitational courses and lectures have also been given in Greece , Turkey , Canada , and Egypt . She served on the Board of Governors of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery for many years and received several awards in that capacity .
For the last nine years she has served on the board of the UAB Medical Alumni Association , which helps support UAB medical students and raise money for scholarships and UAB development . Currently they are trying to support underserved Alabama students to be able to go to medical school .
Alice and Don were not able to take a honeymoon , so for their first 50th wedding anniversary they decided to take a Viking Rhine River Cruise .
They flew to Amsterdam , Netherlands to begin their cruise through the Netherlands , Germany , France , and Switzerland . Following the cruise they spent two days in Basel , Switzerland before returning home .
“ We are all waiting and hoping for our lives to return to the ‘ new normal ’ and we are all able to have more exciting experiences to enjoy and share ,” said Alice .