For generations, Phil Manning, MD, has taught and inspired Keck School of Medicine of USC students. He graduated from the Keck School in 1948 and later spent nearly 50 years on the faculty.

Now retired, Manning focuses his time and attention on one special annual event — the 50 Year Fellows luncheon. Each year, for more than two decades, he has emceed the event that brings together students who graduated from the Keck School 50 or more years ago.

Approximately 110 former students attended the most recent event, during which the graduates of the Class of 1964 were invited to attend for the first time. For Manning, the event is particularly meaningful because he gets to touch base with former classmates, as well as some of the thousands of doctors he had a part in training.

“I knew many of them as students in the ‘50s when they were vigorous young people,” said Manning. “I enjoy immensely seeing them as vigorous older people.”

Manning, who joined the Keck School’s faculty in 1954, said he enjoys reminiscing with former students about the time they spent together at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center (LAC+USC).

“It was one of the great joys of my life being a ward instructor,” he said. “We talk a lot about being in the county hospital, and I am always amazed by how much we can all recall from those times.”

Manning has seen much change over the time he spent at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, both as a student and an instructor. He said there is at least one aspect that is still the same: the quality of the training.

“In those days, LAC+USC was one of the best places to train medical students and residents, and I think it still is,” said Manning.

Another situation that is not going to change any time soon is who will emcee the 50 Year Fellows lunch. “I will be doing it as long as they will have me,” he said.

— By Hope Hamashige