UMass Medical School welcomes 162 new medical students
The Albert Sherman Center Auditorium was filled with new students on Monday, Aug. 9, as the 162-member School of Medicine Class of 2025 gathered to hear a welcome address from Chancellor Michael F. Collins.
In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chancellor Collins spoke about the impact war, lack of clean water and adequate health insurance has on childrens鈥 health globally.
鈥淚n the United States, we recognize that if you鈥檙e not insured, a child has only 70 percent chance of being properly immunized, never mind against coronavirus鈥攁ll diseases,鈥 Collins said. 鈥淭hink of the opportunity that you will have with your commitment to actually do something about that: What an exciting time to be coming into medicine.鈥
Collins said each encounter the future MDs have with their patients will be unique and profound.
鈥淚n each instance, we as physicians accept an awesome responsibility to ensure patients鈥 human dignity. And as such, we enter into an inevitable covenant with the patient. We agree to do what we can to care for them and about them,鈥 Collins said. 鈥淪tudy with intensity, always take care of your patients and always hold the hand of a patient.鈥
Terence R. Flotte, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor, executive deputy chancellor, provost and dean of the School of Medicine said 10 students in this class are first-generation college students, 17 are from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds, and 27 are from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine. Students come from across the country: 108 of the MD and MD/PhD students are from Massachusetts and 11 call California home.
Many of the new students have a connection to UMass鈥16 percent earned their undergraduate degrees at UMass system schools. Eleven students are training to be physician-scientists through the and 25 are in the .
The chancellor鈥檚 remarks resonated with Shridhar Singh, SOM 鈥25, of Sharon. In studying to become a physician, Singh is combining his interests in science, biology and people.
鈥淚'm looking forward to the experience. [The chancellor talked] about how to work with patients. I鈥檓 looking forward to making those connections,鈥 Singh said.
Emily Meara, SOM 鈥25, of Wellesley, said she looked forward to getting information about the .
鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to be here at UMass Medical School,鈥 Meara said. 鈥淚 really think the community seems so strong, really trying to build each other up in a way that seems so unique. The professors and the people involved in the program just seem so incredible and the opportunities with the different tracks and pathways are really unprecedented.鈥
The new SOM class is 69 percent women, which reflects a national trend. In his remarks, Dean Flotte cited the increased number of women in medicine as one of the reasons to be optimistic about the field. The number one reason to be optimistic, Flotte said, is the students themselves.
鈥淵ou are chosen to be here for a reason,鈥 Flotte said. 鈥淵ou will match, you will find a good spot to do your residency and you will have jobs.鈥
Students in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences who are beginning their PhD work in biomedical sciences will be on campus starting Aug. 16. Students in the Graduate School of Nursing鈥檚 begin classes on Aug. 23. All other GSN students start on Sept. 1.