Saying Farewell to the Class of 2018

‌The Class of 2018 received their doctoral hoods in a special graduation ceremony at the Hippodrome Theater on May 17.

Hundreds of family, friends, and faculty were there to cheer on the 146 graduates as they officially transitioned from students to doctors. “Today, you stand upon the very precipice of your dreams becoming a reality,” said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs at UM Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine. “You have been trained by a dedicated team of faculty members, whom are amongst the very best in the world. Therefore, in the words of philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, 'Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. You are ready'."

Class President Saikrishna Gourishetti, MD, and his classmates seemed to agree. “We’re finally doctors, let’s go!" he said, to a chorus of cheers from the crowd. He also shared a story about his classmate Carleigh Benton, MD, who successfully resuscitated an elderly man who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at a University of Maryland basketball game. “I encourage each and every one of you to remember Carleigh’s experience when called upon to help in the middle of the night as an intern, or during your daily lives outside of the hospital—to use what we have learned at this great institution with courage and confidence.”

In an inspirational keynote speech, Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, MA, PhD, president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, urged the graduates to remember the altruistic values that inspired them to embark on the journey to medicine. “People look to you for trust and respect, and it is key that you remember the humanity of each person,” he said. Dr. Hrabowski, a prominent educator, advocate and mathematician, is regarded as an innovative and visionary academic leader. He encouraged the class of 2018 to work assiduously and challenged them to keep humility at the forefront of their careers. “When I look into your faces, I see beacons of hope. Every one of you will touch thousands of lives,” he said. “I challenge you to watch your thoughts, they become your words.  Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they became your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
View Dr. Hrabowski's address

‌Faculty speaker Devang M. Patel, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, advised students to pay attention to patient narratives. “Let’s not forget that which first drew you to medicine. We want to help people. We want to help by providing comfort to patients when they are most vulnerable – this is where the narrative matters. This is where the patient’s story matters,” he said. Dean Reece also encouraged the future doctors to realize the impact they can have. “Whether you are treating patients, unlocking mysteries of health and disease, or mentoring the next generation of physicians and scientists, you are changing lives,” he said.

‌Michael Cryor, president of the Cryor Group and Chair of the UMSOM Board of Visitors, was also inspired by the class. “I share this celebration with pride, in what each of you have accomplished. Your exceptionality, your discipline, your patience, and your perseverance – these things are essential to what you have achieved and to what lies ahead.”

Graduation ceremonies were also held on May 17 for the Department of Medical and Research Technology (DMRT) and the Masters in Genetic Counseling program. The Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science and The Department of Epidemiology & Public Health will have their graduation exercises on May 18.

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About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Commemorating its 210^th Anniversary, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 43 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished recipient of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research.  With an operating budget of more than $1 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically-based care for more than 1.2 million patients each year. The School has over 2,500 students, residents, and fellows, and nearly $450 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total workforce of nearly 7,000 individuals. The combined School and Medical System (“University of Maryland Medicine”) has an annual budget of nearly $6 billion and an economic impact in excess of $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine faculty, which ranks as the 8^th-highest public medical school in research productivity, is an innovator in translational medicine, with 600 active patents and 24 start-up companies. The School works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu/