麻豆原创

As young 麻豆原创 scientists, Simeon Thibeaux and Kristen Hosang discovered how fats harm the heart and cause Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. On Monday, the couple took the next step in their medical journey together 鈥� receiving their white coats on the first day of medical school.

Thibeaux and Hosang were among 120 first-year students recognized at the College of Medicine鈥檚 Class of 2021 White Coat Ceremony, a med school tradition that recognizes newly enrolled students as colleagues in healthcare. They, like many in the new class 鈥� 109 of 120 鈥� did research before they came to medical school. The College of Medicine鈥檚 focus on research, its location in Orlando鈥檚 emerging Medical City and its innovative teaching and learning tools were reasons both decided to continue their medical training at 麻豆原创.

鈥淭oday is almost surreal,鈥� Thibeaux said moments after receiving his white coat. 鈥淪even years of studying in undergrad and for my Masters鈥�med school is finally here for us. I鈥檓 ready to make a difference.鈥�

Making a difference is a theme of 麻豆原创鈥檚 White Coat Ceremony. Each year, Dr. Deborah German, vice president for medical affairs and founding dean, conducts the students鈥� first class, called 鈥淭he Good Doctor.鈥� In it, she asks new students to imagine the person they love most in the world is seriously ill with a disease doctors can鈥檛 diagnose. She asks them to imagine being at the clinic with their beloved person, waiting to see another physician. What traits do they want that doctor to have?

Students suggest characteristics that Dr. German writes on a blackboard that remains on display the entire year. This year鈥檚 list of 48 traits included altruistic, resilient, empathetic, humble, brave and affordable 鈥� a term that generated strong applause from White Coat attendees in the Pegasus Ballroom in the 麻豆原创 Student Union.

鈥淭his is your聽contract聽with聽me, your聽faculty,聽friends,聽family, community聽and聽each other,鈥� Dr. German said, pointing to the words. 鈥淲ith the聽guidance of the faculty聽and聽your own hard work, you will become The Good Doctor.鈥�

Maryam Zeinomar said The Good Doctor class made her think of her father. Mohammad, a pediatric gastroenterologist. Ever since she was a child, Zeinomar said she was struck by her father鈥檚 commitment to caring for others. 鈥淚t is his passion, something he really goes after,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a job.鈥� Zeinomar did her undergraduate work at Case Western Reserve and her passion is women鈥檚 health. After med school, she hopes to improve medical access to other women who share her Muslim faith.

Zach Helm knows first-hand what it means to have one of The Good Doctors. As a junior at Oregon State University, he collapsed from Wolff鈥揚arkinson鈥揥hite syndrome, a disorder of the heart鈥檚 electrical system. Hospitalized and requiring surgery, he met 鈥渢he coolest dude in the world. He was just a kind, charismatic doctor. I had known that I wanted to be in healthcare, but I thought maybe I wanted to be a physician鈥檚 assistant. After that experience, I said 鈥業 want to be that guy鈥� — the guy who was able to walk into the room and make me feel comfortable and I want to be able to do that for other people.鈥�

He鈥檚 been in Orlando for 11 days and is focused on the next four years. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to putting my nose to the grindstone, going in and working and trying to make a difference, helping patients and helping my classmates,鈥� said Helm, who worked as a scribe in an emergency room for two years in Portland. 鈥淭he journey itself through these next four years and all the unique experiences that we鈥檙e going to have, I鈥檓 just excited for it all.鈥�

Monday鈥檚 White Coat Ceremony was the ninth in the 麻豆原创 College of Medicine鈥檚 young history. The Class of 2021 is the fifth at full enrollment of 120. So far, 麻豆原创 has graduated 376 physicians, with students scoring in the top quartile nationally in all measures of performance.

In welcoming attendees, 麻豆原创 President John C. Hitt talked of the medical school鈥檚 accomplishments in such a short time. 鈥淎t this time 10 years ago, we had yet to break ground for the medical college,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd it was just seven years ago that we moved into a facility that anchors a thriving Medical City that is transforming Central Florida鈥檚 health care, economy, and lifestyle.鈥� He also noted that the medical school just received state approval to create the 麻豆原创 Lake Nona Medical Center, an academic hospital in partnership with the Hospital Corporation of America.

He told new students they were joining 鈥渁 bold young medical college that aspires to be a 21st Century model for medical education.鈥� He noted that the 59 women and 61 men were selected from a pool of 4,823 applicants based on their academic excellence and passion for medicine. They graduated from institutions including

Stanford, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Duke, the Air Force Academy, Wake Forest, University of Florida and 麻豆原创. Nineteen have master鈥檚 or doctoral degrees, and they speak 29 languages in addition to English.

Matt Sasaki came to the White Coat Ceremony from California, with his grandmother, parents and aunt. He joked that the family is sharing hotel space with his Ikea furnishings because he hasn鈥檛 moved into his Orlando apartment yet. As his family beamed, he talked about preparing for med school 鈥� an undergraduate degree in biology from UCLA and a master鈥檚 degree in public health from USC. He described by name the orthopedic specialist who had helped him with sports-related knee injuries as a child and inspired him to seek a career in medicine. 鈥淭oday is amazing,鈥� he said, sporting his white coat. 鈥淚t was a long time coming and now it鈥檚 happening.鈥�

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