On Saturday, May 9, the UNC School of Medicine Class of 2015 gathered with faculty, friends and family members in Memorial Hall for this year’s commencement ceremony. The 183-member class selected Myron Cohen, MD, director of UNC’s Institute for Global Health & Infectious Diseases, as its commencement speaker.
On Saturday, May 9, the UNC School of Medicine Class of 2015 gathered with faculty, friends and family members in Memorial Hall for this year’s commencement ceremony. The 183-member class selected Myron Cohen, MD, director of UNC’s Institute for Global Health & Infectious Diseases, as its commencement speaker.
The commencement ceremony marks the formal end of the class of 2015’s medical education at UNC. On March 20, 98 percent of the class learned they had matched into residency programs, with others choosing to pursue research opportunities. Of those that matched, 33 percent will remain in North Carolina.
Click here to read quotes from members of the class.
Following the presentation of diplomas, hoods and alumni certificates, three students were commissioned as officers in the military. Second Lieutenant Brian Milam was commissioned as a Captain in the Army Medical Corps. Colin Nolan and Zenus Wilson were commissioned as Lieutenants in the United States Navy Medical Corps.
Here are a few other facts about the UNC School of Medicine Class of 2015:
- 42 received dual degrees; including 28 MD/MPH, 13 MD/PhD and 1 MD/MBA
- 28 graduated as Doctor of Medicine with Distinction
- 95 percent participated in community and/or international service during their time at UNC
- 79 percent conducted research during their time as UNC medical students
- 34 percent can communicate with their patients in Spanish
- Members of the class of 2015 speak 20 different languages
The following outstanding students, faculty and house staff were recognized at the ceremony for their achievements:
Departmental Awards:
Family Medicine Student Award: Laura Cone and Cleveland Piggott
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine’s Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award: Collyn Murray
Paul F. Lachiewicz Award for Orthopaedics: Anna van der Horst
David A. Mayberry Award for Pediatrics: Jason Gonzalez
American Academy of Neurology’s Medical Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology: Laura Malone
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Excellence Award: Theodore Yip
George F. Sheldon Award for Surgery: Alison Halpern
Cecil G. Sheps Award for Social Medicine: Marshall Ahearn
Thrasher Award for Psychiatry: Katie Ting-Te Cheng
Awards for Scholarship:
American Medical Women’s Association Glasgow Rubin Commendation for Academic Achievement
|
Laura Cone |
Tara Lane | Sarah Rhodes |
|---|---|---|
| Rachael Cowherd | Yemeng Lu-Myers | Talia Schwartz |
| Renatta Craven | Emery McCrory | Sarah Stoneking |
| Alison Halpern | Brenda Morales-Pico | Nisha Verma |
| Amber Kernodle | Hannah Park | Lauren Visser |
| Stephanie Kiser | Rachel Randell | Rachel Weiner |
Deborah C. Leary Award: Stephanie Kiser & Anna van der Horst
Isaac Hall Manning Award: William Jeck
Awards for Leadership and Overall Contributions to the School of Medicine:
Charles C. Forham Award: Brian Blank & Olivia Myrick
James Bell Bullitt Award: Vishal Rao
Merck Manual Award: Alisa Eanes, Emory McCrory, Amber Kernodle, Erin Rholl
Public Service in Medicine:
J. Rush Shull, MD, Scholarships: Angela Bacigalupo & Laura Cone
Awards for Humanism in Medicine:
Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation: Sarah Stoneking
Daniel T. Young Peace and Social Justice Award: Guillaume Pegna
Gilbert J. Cutherbertson, MD, and Megan C. Danton, MD, Memorial Award: Stephen Kimmel
Faculty and House Staff Awards:
Henry C. Fordham Award: Eli Tiller, MD, UNC Hospitals Family Medicine Residency Program
Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Faculty Award, presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation: Kenya McNeal-Trice, MD, associate professor of Pediatrics, program director, Pediatric Residency Program
Professor Award: Gerald Hladick, MD, Doc J. Thurston Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Adult Nephrology Training Program Director
About the Awards:
Departmental Awards
Family Medicine Student Award – Each year, the Department of Family Medicine presents an award to a medical student in recognition of his or her accomplishments and dedication to the ideals of family medicine. The recipient is chosen on the basis of his or her embodiment of the principles of family medicine, service, intention of practicing family medicine, and overall scholarship.
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine’s Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award – The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine makes available the Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award for a student who has been outstanding in the specialty. The recipient is selected by the Department of Emergency Medicine.
Paul F. Lachiewicz Award for Orthopaedics – The Paul F. Lachiewicz Award for Orthopaedics recognizes clinical or research achievement and is awarded to a student who has matched into an orthopaedic residency program.
David A. Mayberry Award – The David A. Mayberry Award is given to the graduating senior who during any period of clinical training within the Department of Pediatrics has demonstrated exceptional human qualities and clinical scholarship in the care of children with cancer. A special faculty committee selects the recipient.
American Academy of Neurology’s Medical Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology – The American Academy of Neurology Medical Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology recognizes graduating medical students for excellence in clinical neurology. The UNC recipient is selected by faculty in the Department of Neurology.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatry) Excellence Award – The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatry) Excellence Award was created by Dr. Michael Y. Lee, Founding Chair, in honor of his parents, Drs. Michael M. and Shrine G. Lee, to recognize and honor the senior medical student who demonstrates the exemplary qualities necessary to care for persons with physical disabilities. An exemplary physiatrist is caring, compassionate, and has a genuine interest in improving each patient’s quality of life and function. The recipient is selected by faculty and residents of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
George F. Sheldon, M.D. Award – The Department of Surgery established the George F. Sheldon, M.D. Award to honor a member of the graduating class who demonstrated excellence in surgery. This award is named for George F. Sheldon, M.D., Professor of Surgery and Chair of the Department of Surgery from 1984-2001.
Cecil G. Sheps Award – The Cecil G. Sheps Award was established in 1987 in honor of Dr. Sheps, former Distinguished Professor Emeritus of the Department of Social Medicine. The award recognizes a fourth-year medical student selected by the Department of Social Medicine who demonstrates academic excellence and practical commitment to the principles of Social Medicine.
Thrasher Award – The George C. Thrasher Jr. Award was established in 1965 by the Department of Psychiatry in honor of the memory of Dr. Thrasher, a faculty member in Psychiatry who played a major role in teaching medical students. The award is given to that member of the graduating class who, during his or her medical school experience, showed the most outstanding performance and ability in Psychiatry.
Awards for Scholarship:
Doctor of Medicine with Distinction – To be eligible for Doctor of Medicine with Distinction, a student must earn a cumulative year-end grade of honors for all years of medical school in which the grade of honors is an option.
Glasgow-Rubin Commendation for Academic Achievement – The Glasgow-Rubin Academic Achievement Award and Citations are presented by the American Medical Women’s Association to recognize women graduates who have excelled academically throughout medical school.
Deborah C. Leary Award – Established in 1958, the award honors Deborah Cushing Leary, M.D., Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UNC School of Medicine from 1952 to 1957. The Leary Award is presented to a fourth-year student whose research paper is judged by a faculty committee to be the best paper submitted.
Isaac Hall Manning Award – In 1954, an anonymous donor established a fund to provide an annual award in honor of Isaac Hall Manning, M.D., Class of 1895, who served the School of Medicine from 1905 to 1933 as a professor of Physiology and Dean. Members of the graduating class are nominated by faculty for the Isaac Hall Manning Award on the basis of scholarship, character, leadership, initiative, and original investigative work.
Leadership and Contributions to the School of Medicine:
Christopher C. Fordham III Award – The Christopher C. Fordham III Award was established in honor of Dr. Fordham for his outstanding and creative leadership in medical and higher education. He was a former dean of the medical school, vice chancellor for Health Affairs, and a chancellor of the University. This award recognizes graduating students for outstanding and creative leadership at the medical school. Nominations for this award were solicited from the chairs of the departments based on their faculty’s recommendations, from members of the senior class, and from senior class advisors.
James Bell Bullitt Award – The James Bell Bullitt Award, given for the first time in 1962, honors Dr. Bullitt, formerly a professor of Pathology, who was a member of the faculty of the School of Medicine from 1913 to 1947. Consistent with Dr. Bullitt’s contributions to the School of Medicine, this award provides an opportunity for recognizing unusual achievements or contributions to the medical school community by a member of the senior class. Seniors nominate their classmates for this award.
Merck Manual Award – Each year, the Merck Publishing Group offers the Merck Manual Award to outstanding medical students. The qualifications for the award are at the discretion of the School of Medicine. At UNC, the award is given to graduating students based on contributions to the medical school community. The staff members in the Office of Student Affairs and the Admissions Office select the recipients.
Public Service:
J. Rush Shull, M.D. Scholarship – The J. Rush Shull, M.D. Scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who has demonstrated a commitment to community service and who will be entering a primary care residency program in North Carolina.
Humanism in Medicine:
Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation – The Arnold P. Gold Foundation makes it possible for an award to be presented to one graduating senior and one medical school faculty member who integrate humanism into the delivery of care to patients and their families. The recipients consistently demonstrate compassion and empathy in the delivery of care, show respect for all, demonstrate cultural sensitivity, display effective communication and listening skills, adhere to professional ethical standards, understand a patient’s need for interpretation of complex medical diagnosis while showing respect for a patient’s viewpoint, pay attention to patients’ psychological well-being, engender trust and confidence, and remain personally committed to self-evaluation. The student recipient has helped others and accepted help from others when necessary, engaged in volunteer activities showing concern for the welfare of the community, and sought and accepted criticism for improvement of performance. Students are nominated by faculty members and classmates.
Daniel T. Young Peace and Social Justice Award – The Daniel T. Young Peace and Social Justice Award goes to the graduating student who, in the opinion of his or her classmates, has demonstrated—through extracurricular activities—the most steadfast dedication to the advancement of peace and social justice. Students are nominated by their classmates.
Gilbert J. Cuthbertson, M.D. and Megan C. Danton, M.D. Memorial Award – The Class of 1983 established the Gilbert J. Cuthbertson, M.D. and Megan C. Danton, M.D. Memorial Award to honor two physicians, husband and wife, who died in a plane crash in 1988. Graduating students nominate classmates who exhibit the personal qualities of these two doctors, including caring for others; an ability to make people smile; joy in living; and, in particular, a quiet compassion for all humankind.
Faculty and House Staff Awards:
Henry C. Fordham Award – With this award, the Class of 2014 recognizes a member of the house staff for the qualities of patience, humility, and devotion to medicine.
Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Faculty Award presented by The Arthur P. Gold Foundation – The Arnold P. Gold Foundation makes it possible for the Class of 2014 to select a faculty member who consistently demonstrates compassion, empathy, respect, cultural sensitivity, effective communication and listening skills, and professional ethical standards in the delivery of care. The recipient understands a patient’s need for interpretation of complex medical diagnosis while showing respect for a patient’s viewpoint, pays attention to patients’ psychological well-being, engenders trust and confidence, and remains personally committed to self- evaluation. In addition, the faculty recipient serves as a role model and mentor, is approachable and accessible to students, and exhibits enthusiasm in interactions with students.
Professor Award – The recipient is a faculty member selected by the senior class who, by his or her willingness, understanding, and ability, has contributed most to the students’ medical education.