36th Fall Convocation & White Coat and Pinning Ceremony

[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] my name is ngozia nachebe and i serve as the associate dean for admissions and student affairs today is a special day for all of us as we take a moment to welcome our entering 2020 class all 254 students the largest entering class in the school's history at this time i called to order the 36th convocation white coat and pinning ceremony of morehouse school of medicine i am joined today by dr valerie montgomery rice president and dean of mohawk school of medicine reverend dr marvin crawford school chaplain associate professor of clinical medicine and senior pastor of first saint paul african methodist episcopal church and other distinguished members of our platform party which include dr martha elk senior associate dean for educational affairs dr stephanie miles richardson associate dean graduate education in public health dr ward curling acting associate dean for graduate education and mr cabrillo morehead physician assistant studies student government association president additionally participating in today's ceremony are the following programs doctor of medicine master of science in physician assistant studies doctor of philosophy in biomedical sciences master of science in biomedical research online master of science in biotechnology master of science in clinical research master of science in medical sciences master of science in neuroscience master of physician assistant studies master of public health and online executive master of public health at this time if you are able please stand for the morehouse school of medicine alma mater soar which is performed by miss maria howell [Music] [Music] me [Music] place we will answer to our call as we walk please [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] stories [Music] though [Applause] destiny yet we will boldly [Music] as we saw [Music] place [Music] [Applause] [Music] we will stand for [Music] watch them we will fight to endure as we seek some earthly cure [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] of all those [Applause] [Music] [Music] is [Music] place of dreams as we saw [Music] to [Music] place [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] please join me in welcoming to the podium the chaplain for morehouse school of medicine the reverend dr marvin l crawford who will lead us in the invocation he is an associate professor of clinical medicine and senior pastor of first saint paul african methodist episcopal church on this day the morehouse school of medicine we mourn because from our myths has been taking one of our distinguished alumni and on this day at 11 o'clock her family will say goodbye and that is in the person of dr jermaine cummins and so wherever you are keep that family in prayer let us pray god of all creation the first of all things to give of all good and perfect gifts forgive of all of our flaws sustained of our hope heal over all our diseases our comfort in our pains we gather in your presence for this convocation morehouse school of medicine we are grateful we are grateful in your presence to celebrate the learners who will accept the challenge to study to make life better and more meaningful for the oppressed the broken heart that the underrepresented and now god we would cloak them and pin them as a symbol of commitment to become vessels of change and fulfill the mission to close the health care equity gap bless these learners educational journey and give them success in their studies bless administrators and staff and faculty who will stand behind them to make them strong and to help them along the way blessed is leadership that is inculcated in the presence of dr viral montgomery rice who will lead us to become that premier institution that will close the health care and equity gaps and for all these leaders we give you things and now god when we become somewhat tired on the journey let us not become weary and well done and so now come o god come o god nine open our souls to rejoice over what you will do come now god come now god to open our minds to learn how to fulfill your will come now god come now god and open our hearts so we can feel of love that will be extended to all of your children come now god let your spirit we experience and know to do the right over the wrong it is in your name we pray it is in your name we give thanks it in your name we rejoice let all under my voice simply say amen [Music] what's so proudly weird at the twilight's last gleaming who's brought stripes and bright stars [Music] we watched were so guaranteed streaming and the it's red glare the bumps bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still [Music] oh of the free [Music] and the home of the [Music] brains oh say can you see hold it up lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven [Music] let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies let us march on till [Music] victory is one [Music] single song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us singing a song full of the hope that the dark past has brought us facing the rising sun of our new day be gone let us march on till victory is one [Music] stoney the road we try bitter the chestning rod felt in the days when hope unborn had [Music] come to the place for which our farther side we have come over a way that with tears has been watered we have come treading our path through the blood of the slime [Music] out from the gloomy past till now we'll stand where the white gleam of our bright stars has that was our very own boyd second year master of public health student and the star-spangled banner was sung also by a morehouse school of medicine student monika yassar second year md student not only are students talented academically they are also talented in so many other ways now it is my great pleasure to introduce dr valerie montgomery rice president and dean of morehouse school of medicine it has been six years since dr montgomery rice was inaugurated and she has truly been our leader and champion in our mission of advancing health equity diversifying the physician and scientific health workforce and addressing primary health care through programs in education research and service we are especially excited to see how the mohawk school of medicine footprint continues to impact communities worldwide under dr montgomery rice's leadership ladies and gentlemen our president and dean [Music] thank you dr nacha bay thank you to our wonderful students to second year students who gave us those beautiful renditions of our two songs that make such a difference in the life of morehouse school of medicine also you were able to hear our beautiful alma mater song it brought joy to my heart and although we used a recording from our 2013 convocation i'm sure each of you found the words reassuring and a perfect start for today's ceremony thank you dr notre bay and dr crawford for your continued support and leadership at morehouse school of medicine let me begin by recognizing our families and our friends who are joining us today via youtube we too are disappointed that you can't be here physically with us on campus to share in this momentous occasion but we're glad that you're able to watch it to watch today's ceremony to watch your loved ones take that next step as we celebrate this incredible entering class i want to personally recognize our record 249 new students 105 doctor of medicine sixth doctor of philosophy in biomedical sciences three master of science in biomedical research 24 online master of science in biotechnology six master science in clinical research 31 master of science in medical sciences eight master science in neuroscience 24 master of public health 12 executive master of public health and 30 master of science in physician assistance studies it brings me joy to watch the growth and development of our various programs because i know that as we grow at morehouse school of medicine it translates to healthier individuals and communities and many many more lives that will be saved above all though i just want to thank and congratulate our students thank you for choosing morehouse school of medicine thank you for entrusting us with your well-being particularly in a time like this we know that you are the ones that the world has been waiting for we can't wait to see the health equity leaders you will become and the trails that you will blaze for future generations speaking of growth and development we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the 25th anniversary of the master of public health program at morehouse school of medicine this program has grown tremendously over the years to now include an executive mph let's honor this milestone with a video in tribute to the 25 years of excellence and service [Music] [Music] so i hope you enjoyed the beginnings of our celebration of the 25 years of our public health program because you all particularly in a time like this we recognize that public health professionals are the bridge into the community they ensure that our scientific discoveries and medical innovations benefit the populations and individuals who need it most we remain honored to educate and train public health professionals they live their code honor the mission serve the community do the work so i say stay tuned because we're going to do some transformational things through our public health program as we lead the creation and advancement of health equity congratulations to the program and to morehouse school of medicine on this wonderful milestone at this time i would like to welcome to the podium mr gabriel morehead the president of the physician assistant studies student government association hello my name is cabral morehead good morning everyone on behalf of morehouse school of medicine's inaugural physician assistant class of 2021 i welcome you to this momentous and joyous occasion i am truly honored to have the opportunity to share my thoughts with you and your loved ones today as we take time to celebrate your entrance into the morehouse school of medicine interprofessional family family is a feeling that is genuinely significant at this institution and is one that we challenge ourselves to uphold and exemplify daily now more than ever we all understand just how important the contributions of all medical professionals are towards reaching our ultimate goal of achieving health equity at this moment research is advancing on numerous fronts public policy is being implemented and continuously adapted while research researchers and clinicians are maintaining flexibility in the face of rapidly shifting guidelines each of these objectives are intricately interwoven with each other and dependent on effective communication and understanding what has been built here at morehouse school of medicine is more than a place rather it is a vision of the future that we are all striving to achieve as the newest program and members of the msn family my classmates and i have worked tirelessly towards that vision of health and professional equity integrating ourselves into our msm family through a wide array of events and activities over the past year my cohort's growth as a family and our bonds with our mph jebs and md peers have challenged all of us to think critically about the roles we play on the healthcare team i truly believe that these experiences have served to strengthen each program in our institution as a whole i truly believe that these experiences have uh by creating a space where each program is encouraged to work together as a family our opportunities to communicate and collaborate with each other are more numerous than they would be at most other institutions most importantly these experiences serve not only to amplify the strengths of each program but also to fine-tune our weaknesses creating more well-rounded healthcare professionals our challenge lies not only in maintaining our momentum but also endearing to dream of new possibilities for this interprofessional family it is in service of that goal that i charge all of the bright minds and courageous hearts in this room to think critically about how we can continue to evolve as an interprofessional family each program in attendance today has a significant role to play in advancing health equity no one program can tackle the health inequities we face in the world alone so we are dependent upon the knowledge and experiences of each and every individual to achieve our goals in your time here at msm i am asking all of you to hold yourselves accountable for not only maintaining the familiar bonds that have been crafted between programs but also to dare to to widen the vision of what interprofessional collaboration and medicine can be in the years to come on behalf of morehouse school of medicine's inaugural physician assistant class of 2021 jebs mph and md students our msm faculty and staff and msm alumni i cordially cordially and graciously welcome you into the morehouse school of medicine family i am confident by your presence in these seats today that you will not take the word family lightly and will continue to advance our march into the future of health care by working together to lead the creation and advancement of health equity thank you [Music] thank you mr moorhead i think you can see why we are so confident that morehouse school of medicine can lead the creation and advancement of health equity our students are already making an impact leading modeling and showing the world what's possible when you make the right investments congratulations to this inaugural class of the pa program and we look forward to your growth and development now let me turn the podium back over to dr nacha bay [Music] thank you so much dr valerie montgomery rice at this time we will recognize our married scholars the recipients are listed on pages 22 and 23 in your program our merit scholarships are awarded to students who display exceptional scholastic ability as evidenced in their academic performance these include scholarships awarded for up to four years and are conditional upon the students maintaining high academic standards during their period of matriculation first we will begin with our presidential scholars from the md program and these are tanusha v augustine babayode e dennis bastian kevon bryan amanda m darius symphony and davis jessie i am a fella steven c green maria griswold grisha bovskaya ariana c higgins simeone e hambrick bria l harris creshon hart samira isabube lauren johnson cabrilla d jones brandon julmise zoe p macafoy mach4 excuse me aliza makani rosemary borgo brandon a parkinson near i placed cageland m pogue sherelle and price rachel m reed jessica a robinson khadijah m shalbi minita singh d walker next our mph presidential scholars are kiana w strickland jaylen a ford benjamin our presidential scholars from the msms program are aminat animashon ashley c carter kelly montgomery sylvester i okoro naima rashid next at the recipients of the friends of valor montgomery rice md scholarships from the md program we have robert w agui ii and dennis bastian from the mph program jaylen a ford benjamin from the msbr program master of science in biomedical research brianna cannell and nia thompson from the master of science in the medical sciences aldine d brown and ennis ochere we have msm mary scholarships which are awarded to these qualifying md students alhaji el foreigh tony d hansberry shaqiri l stewart hong and tran alexa r walker dominic t white and ariane c wong this year's qualifying md recipients of the georgia keepsake scholarship are alani b becks and sonia f randolph next we will present the coca-cola medical scholar awards to the qualifying md students at msm and these students are emily burlington matthew clapton sean crowley minnie mitchell hugh jean oy margot powell and justin thomas the mph honor scholarship goes to the qualifying mph students and these years recipients are alexis j bell and daviana k griffin next we present the author all collins honor scholarship to our qualifying mph students and they are rashira d dobson robinson daviana k griffin amanda iworgo javez j mitchell and amber e sylvain and finally the janet m blumenthal phd memorial scholarship goes to qualifying mps students and this year's recipient is daviana k griffin thank you congratulations to all our scholarship recipients i wish we were all physically here in the auditorium because you would have heard the loud applause but wherever you are we congratulate you on your exceptional academic performance president montgomery rice please return to the podium for the introduction of today's speaker ladies and gentlemen our president and dean dr valor montgomery rice thank you [Music] i have the privilege of introducing our convocation speaker this global pandemic has illustrated the vital role public policy particularly health policy plays in ensuring health and safety for this nation and really for each and every one of us the impact and effect of covet 19 in the minority populations underserved and underrepresented populations is not lost on us at morehouse school of medicine since our founding more than 45 years ago we have emphasized the need the critical need to address the social determinants of health the systems of programs and resources that impact where we work live and play we know that included in these even more now than before that there are the political determinants of health the policies that determine housing the policies that determine business development the policies that determine testing strategies and the deployment of ventilators policies that we have witnessed firsthand and its impact on the outcomes of this pandemic we could not have chosen a more appropriate speaker to deliver this year's convocation address he is a renowned health policy expert and author of two acclaimed books 150 150 years of obamacare and his most recent the political determinants of health he is none other than daniel doan dawes dr daniel dawes jd daniel also serves as the director of the satchel health leadership institute professor of health law policy and management and he leads our government relations engagement in morehouse school of medicine in addition to being an author he is also a widely respected lawyer scholar educator and leader in health equity and health reform and mental health movements he's the co-founder of the health equity leadership and exchange network fondly known as helen a nationwide network of over 2 000 governmental and non-governmental leaders and scholars who are focused on bolstering leadership and the exchange of research information not just to hear themselves talk though they are all working on solutions to advance evidence-based health equity focus policies and program his research focuses on the drivers of health equities among under-resourced vulnerable and marginalized communities and he is one who takes a pioneering new approach to examining these inequities looking at the political determinants of health he brings a forward-thinking inclusive and multi-disciplinary approach to health policy his work and relationships at the highest level of government were key influences in the recent u.s department of health and human services 40 million dollar grant award to morehouse school of medicine as well as our recent 100 one million dollar one million dollar global partnership with google both of these deal with covert 19 and its disproportionate impact on people of color he's an elected fellow of the new york academy of medicine and serves on multiple boards and commissions and councils focused yes on health outcomes and elevating health equity in the united states and around the world he is a recipient of several national awards and recognition including the american public health association's award for significant contribution to public health the american psychological association's exceptional leadership and advocacy award and the centers for disease control and prevention health equity champion award we are proud to call him a member of the morehouse school of medicine family and we can't wait to hear the invaluable wisdom he will impart on us today so without further ado please welcome mr dr daniel dawes dr montgomery rice i want to thank you so much for that very kind introduction and for the generous invitation to speak today good morning to all of you our dear students our residents families friends faculty and staff i am grateful and honored to have this opportunity to serve as the convocation speaker for morehouse school of medicine's 36th fall convocation there is no denying the fact that covet 19 has changed everyday life for all of us in a multitude of ways but one thing remains constant here at morehouse school of medicine we are forever dedicated to training the next generation of learners and leaders committed to advancing health equity without compromise as dr montgomery rice mentioned i have the great honor of serving as the director of the sacha leadership institute here at msm and prior to assuming this role i led the government relations efforts at the school for almost a decade i bring up the amount of time i have spent here to express gratitude for one simple fact my time at morehouse school of medicine has exposed me to unparalleled greatness you see whether i'm on capitol hill advocating on behalf of our institution or having a conversation with one of our many esteemed grant funders the story of msm that i get to tell is always the same and is always unrivaled you see morehouse school of medicine has a rich history of advocating for health equity from the very beginning of this institution's founding in 1975 until today a deep commitment and proven track record of bolstering health equity and addressing racial ethnic place-based and structural inequities our faculty staff and alumni are recognized for excellence in teaching research and public policy and have been instrumental in the development of all major health equity focused federal policies since 1980. when it comes to living up to the vision of morehouse school of medicine to lead the creation and advancement of health equity you would be hard pressed to find a more dedicated place that's because the people who are drawn to msm are people who are called to greatness you you have been called to greatness you walk in the footsteps of those who have fought for justice what does justice look like to some that's an open-ended question and to others it's a rhetorical one but to those of us who have contemplated the very question before or had the opportunity to interface with leaders who have grappled with it we know exactly what justice looks like however instead of just giving you the answer i'm going to help you discover it for yourself as a lawyer by training one of the hallmarks of law school is the socratic method everyone endures it and most not all emerge on the other side better because of it the socratic method is built on the notion of discourse and mandates that people find the answers for themselves so let's take a brief walk through history and see if we can't stumble upon what justice looks like an attempt in an attempt to paint a picture for you let us go back way back to the 1800s and let us start with the very embodiment of excellence rebecca lee crumpler dr crumpler for those of you who do not know was the first african-american woman in the united states to earn an md degree at this time it may be hard to focus in some of your first year classes given the fact that they're happening on zoom or in a socially distant manner but imagine an african-american woman who pursued a medical degree during the time of slavery i can promise you that dr crumpler had it harder were it not for her perseverance there is a chance none of us would be sitting here today while it is notable that she dared to challenge the prejudices that prevented african americans at that time from pursuing degrees in medicine it is her commitment to health equity that makes her such a significant figure in history one of the main things that i hope you take away from this discussion is the irrefutable fact that health equity and justice are inextricable they are two sides of the same coin dr crumpler understood that and leveraged it one of her most enduring contributions to our society was not just that she was one of our great firsts it's that she used her education power and privilege albeit limited in those times to serve the most under-resourced and marginalized communities in our country before publishing her book in 1883 entitled a book of medical discourses that served as a resource of medical advice for women and children dr crumpler moved her practice from the safety of the north to richmond virginia after the civil war as she put it richmond would provide a proper field for real missionary work and one that would present ample opportunities to become acquainted with the diseases of women and children even then it was incumbent upon the health professionals in our country to take an active role in seeing to it that the most vulnerable among us got the care and attention they needed not only to survive but thrive in a racist society here is the one thing about fight the fight for health equity and for justice it's infectious the good kind of infectious what started with dr crumpler did not end with her it jumped from her to her colleagues at the friedman's bureau to our civil rights leaders to the founders of our school and on throughout history up until today where it will find a host in you and shape your future it was dr crumpler's colleagues who strongly advocated for america's first federal health policy that set the stage to not only bring together people committed to the cause of health equity and justice but also to set the precedent for that would for that which would eventually lead to the affordable care act or obamacare 150 years later there's a list of black physicians scientists and public health leaders who risked and sacrificed their careers in the 1950s so that we would have case law a legal tool with which to push back against segregation and unfair treatment the hollowed halls of this very institution house one of those greats granted right now you are living and studying in extraordinary times so i wouldn't suggest wandering around campus without permission because that might get you an eye in a little bit of trouble with dr montgomery rice and our return to campus procedures but when it's safe to do so you have to walk no further than the ncpc building to be able to have a conversation with a man who was so involved in the civil rights movement that he was arrested more than once and still went on to become the 16th surgeon general of the united states that man dr david thatcher has endless stories to tell of the importance and the role that health professionals have and continue to play in the fight for health equity and justice just look at his career his trajectory is punctuated by multiple stops here at morehouse school of medicine he knows and you will soon come to find out that what happens here changes the world that's because of one simple reality we have an enduring legacy of leaders who have used their limited power and influence to push back against the status quo by now most if not all of you should be fairly acquainted with what these individuals were fighting against when i say the status quo the social determinants of health and those pesky determinants have to be addressed if we are ever to truly arrive at a more equitable and inclusive future a future where justice reigns supreme but i'm here to let you know today that the social determinants of health are not the full picture more importantly i'm here to challenge you to look upstream and find your role in addressing those determinants and drivers of health inequities how might you ask by acknowledging and working to address the political determinants of health the political determinants of health create the social drivers including poor environmental conditions inadequate transportation unsafe neighborhoods and lack of healthy food options among many others that affect all other dynamics of health the easiest way to understand what the political determinants of health are is to think through the process of how a social determinant comes to be by that i mean for every social determinant there was a preceding political legislative or legal decision that yielded the result city council orders state and federal legislation regulations even legal decisions all have consequences both intended and unintended that impact our health they determine the extent of our lives and the quality of life we will have on this earth some of you may be wondering what this looks like in practicality so let me illustrate it with a story a story of shalondra rollins from mississippi it started with a headache in late march then came the body aches at first chilandra rollins's doctor thought it was the flu by april 7 three days after she was finally diagnosed with covet 19 the 38 year old teaching assistant who had two years managed to beat the odds having lacked health insurance at times in her life working in paying jobs experiencing limited access to care working hard to get her associate's degree told her mom that she was feeling winded within an hour she was in an ambulance conscious but struggling to breathe bound for a hospital in jackson mississippi an hour later she was pronounced dead shalandra rollins a mother of two had a number of factors that put her at high risk of dying from covet 19. like her mother she had diabetes she was african-american and she had a low salary job with very few resources but the most deadly of all the factors were the political determinants we know that the underlying factors such as diabetes cancer asthma heart disease and other diseases strike disproportionately within communities of color and lower socioeconomic status communities as a result these communities experience a greater risk or are at greater risk of complications from covet 19. it's not a coincidence that certain groups of americans experience higher premature death rates or poor health outcomes than others rather it is the inconvenient and harsh truth about the impact of the political determinants of health and how collectively these factors significantly contribute to our society's health inequities the inequities that predate kovid didn't suddenly appear blacks indigenous and other communities of color still contend with neighborhoods that are largely devoid of necessary health protective and health sustaining resources and they still contend with the political determinant or drivers that created perpetuated and exacerbated these health inequities throughout the life course so what does this mean for you the next generation of health leaders it means that you have to be actively engaged and primarily caring as dr janice herbert carter told us last year you have to be a fierce advocate for your patients and communities and have a strong dedication to scientific discovery that advances health equity most importantly you have to make your voice heard our society inherently understands that when the white coats and the blue coats speak up it is time to listen so use that privilege and that platform to speak up for those who may not feel empowered to do so because if you don't the political decisions will speak for them and the consequences will continue to be disastrous as i close let us take a moment to figure out how we got to this point the question posed was what does justice justice look like and i've told you that health equity and justice are one in the same i've told you that our country and our school have a long and storied history of creating and supporting leaders who have leveraged their moment in time and their privilege to fight for justice i've told you that in fighting for justice you have to look beyond the social determinants of health and venture further upstream to the political determinants of health and understand what that looks like and most importantly i've told you that you have a role to play in the continuing tradition at morehouse school of medicine of leading the creation and advancement of health equity also known as fighting for justice so to answer that seemingly simple question of what does justice look like i ask that as you work your way upstream towards the political determinants of health take a few seconds to look over into that stream and i am certain you will see in the reflection exactly what justice looks like what does justice look like it looks like you welcome to our family at morehouse school of medicine and best health wishes to all of you as you begin your studies and training reposition [Music] thank you so much mr dolls students family members i think you will like this it is my pleasure to announce a surprise scholarship these are mary scholarships that are supported through the presidential scholars funds and i just want to recognize the long time commitment of the women with heart led by our former first lady mrs eileen maupin and also want to recognize the phenomenal women who contribute to the the scholarship so the presidential scholars funded by the women with heart and the phenomenal women these scholarships will go to the following physician assistant studies students each student will receive 2 500 in recognition of their excellent academic performance they all matriculated with a perfect 4.0 gpa and the physician assistant studies students are james brown rebecca bryan aaron fincher tia flowers islam gal gal douglas hernandez isabelle lurido kimia nezaphat fantasia el ramonel ramonville excuse me and jasmine watson we really are grateful to the women with heart led by mrs eileen marpin and our phenomenal women for their long time financial support of our students thank you very much and congratulations to our physician assistant studies students it is now time to begin the white coat and pinning ceremony every student here will participate in these honors by donning either a white coat or a blue blazer with a pen we acknowledge the students in their learning community groups and for our master of public health students in their neighborhood planning units each student group is supported by our faculty and we are grateful to our faculty for their role we will start with recognizing knowledge learning community knowledge learning community is mentored ably by dr khadijah johnson and dr erica sutton students please stand in your location as i call your name chimsum abim dennis bastian george beshara austin carey ambre flowers jacob hicks cabria jones zachary logan mitchell panchal rachel reed louis valdez jr and evan woodard ladies and gentlemen you may put on your coats congratulations you may be seated our next group of students represent the wisdom learning community students please stand in your location when i call your names wisdom learning community faculty mentors are dr james mccoy and miss angela wines dr mccoy we love you students please stand in your location as i call your name robert agee ii alani beggs amanda darius john degraft hanson simeon hambrick nicholas holloway lauren johnson zoe mcfoy javon mason amense omoruyi brandon parkinson justin thomas and darius whitmore carter ladies and gentlemen you may put on your coats congratulations you may now be seated our next group of medical students represent service learning community ably led by doctors janice hall and rigabat lapu students please stand in your location when i call your name baba yode bakare darlene bio fred curry jessie m fila samia hassana rasheed logan alexander martineg rosemary waborgo collins ocorego sherelle price mariah minita singh and hong tran ladies and gentlemen students of service learning community you may now put on your codes you may be seated students it is my pleasure to call on excellence learning community excellence is led by a faculty doctors kerry bayer and dr cinnamon bradley students please stand in your location when i call your name oluwa damilola babatola matthew clapton jacob cook alhari alhaji faure jr arianna higgins dylan james alisa makani miles sims nolan starbs rachel terrell and alexa walker ladies and gentlemen students you may now put on your white coats congratulations excellence learning community you may now be seated our next group of students represent the innovation learning community innovation learning community is led by our faculty mentors doctors leonard anderson andrade chaudhry and lillian lewis debnam innovation learning community students please stand in your location when i call your name tanusha augustine kevon bryan symphony davis austin futrell manuel nicholas martin garvin nelson jimmy wenn sonia randolph jessica robinson and indiri uday students you may now put on your white coats congratulations you may not be seated our next group of students represent the integrity learning community integrity learning community students are ably led by our faculty dr sarah green and dr kimberly redding students please stand in your location when i call your name andrea antoine emily bullington dave de lima mackenzie ellsbury brandon julmisa ira lua mobolaji isaiah walker valdemar waney dominique white and alexandria williams ladies and gentlemen you may now put on your white coats congratulations you may be seated hello compassion learning community compassion learning community is led by our faculty dr lilly immerglock and dr john patrickson compassion learning community students please stand in your positions when i call your name tia gaussian ago alexia charlotte iran collins stephen greene maria grisha boskaya tony hansberry ii akira harris hugh jean hoy jeremy shropshire and tempest walker ladies and gentlemen please put on your white coats you may now be seated thank you very much our final group of students for the md program represent leadership learning community leadership learning community faculty mentors my former student and fellow alumni dr carmen dickinson copeland dr nabata fast and dr amy lovejoy morgan students please stand in your location when i call your name sunny anosique danny brewster sean crowley dustin ford bria harris samuel dimitri corman coach jamie magnan tamiwa oderinde margo powell edward robinson grace smith shakira stewart ariane wong and brandy woods ladies and gentlemen please put on your white coats you may now be seated now we come to the most important element of the md white coat ceremony the oath that our students take in front of family school leadership and peers to acknowledge their commitment to the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior in our central obligation of caring for the patient the medical student oath of service and responsibility is printed in your program on page 24. dr martha elks our senior associate dean for educational affairs will lead the oath dr elks well all of the md students please rise and let us read together as i begin the study of medicine i do solemnly swear by that which i hold most sacred that my efforts will be focused on the ultimate goal of serving my future patients towards this end i will conscientiously and cooperatively work with my peers and professors in learning the art and science of medicine i will regard the patients whom i will encounter in my training as fellow human beings and will do everything in my power to preserve their dignity i will not compromise myself nor endanger the welfare of my future patients by employing unworthy methods in the pursuit of my education i pledge to the forum to the best of my ability and to engage in continuous self-evaluation in an effort to address my limitations i will never hesitate to call upon the assistance of others when indicated i recognize that the study of medicine is a lifelong responsibility i pledge to continue to educate myself throughout my career and to constantly engage in a critical re-examination of myself as a rational emotional and spiritual human being welcome to the morehouse family thank you [Music] thank you [Music] thank you dr elks we will now proceed to our physician assistant studies program and we will start with recognition of justice learning community justice learning community is led by faculty miss phylicia slayton justice learning community students are you ready please stand in your location when i call your name shuba bahaduri deidra bohannon brown rebecca bryan aaron fincher annette guinege man samantha he polite sydney martin maya stokes and morgan stokes ladies and gentlemen you may now put on your white coats congratulations you may be seated on our learning community the faculty mentors for honor learning community the faculty member is dr ijama amobi students please stand when i call your name and remain standing in your location cal beth alaribe my kayla bennett tasia gibbons rear green ladonna linear isabelle loriro kimia nezufat noble obu jr fatima or yifo ladies and gentlemen you may now put on your white coats [Music] congratulations please take your seats finally we will recognize our last group of physician as assistant studies students service learning community service learning community is led by a faculty member dr donnie aard students please stand in your location when i call your name sydney ellison adesi kemi ewademi tia flowers islam gal gal douglas hernandez alvarez cameron martin von wen fantasia reminville and jasmine watson ladies and gentlemen please put on your white coats you may be seated now we come to a vital part of our ceremony the oath that our students take in front of their family school leadership and peers to acknowledge their commitment to the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior in caring for their patients the physician assistant professional oath is printed in your program on page 24. i asked dr pangela dawson the inaugural physician assistant studies program director to join us and lead the oath recitation students please stand i invite you to recite the physician assistant professional oath with me i first want to salute you honor you bless you for all the hard work may you continue to press push and pursue into your destiny and most of all i encourage you to embrace endure and enjoy this journey now we will recite the oath i pledge to perform the following duties with honesty and dedication i will hold as my primary responsibility the health safety welfare and dignity of all human beings i will uphold the tenets of patient autonomy beneficence and non-monetarist and justice i will recognize and promote the value of diversity i will treat equally all persons who seek my care i will hold in confidence the information shared in the course of practicing medicine i will assess my personal capabilities and limitations striving always to improve my medical practice i will actively seek to expand my knowledge and skills keeping a breast advance in medicine i will work with other members of the health care team to provide compassionate and effective care to patients i will use my knowledge and experience to contribute and improve community i will respect my professional relationship with physicians i will share and expand knowledge within the profession these duties pledged with sincerity and upon my honor thank you thank you so much dr dawson we will now proceed to our graduate education in biomedical sciences or as we call them our jeff students jebs includes students in the doctor of philosophy and biomedical sciences master of science in biomedical research master of science in clinical research master of science in the medical sciences and master of science in neuroscience i think i left off master of science in biotechnology to start off we will recognize our students in the doctor of philosophy in biomedical sciences learning community the phd learning community is led by dr karen russell randall director of the master of science in biomedical research students please stand in your location when i call your name eva jenny andrews delaney beckner kenya the baros ling janelle moore stephen martin ladies and gentlemen please put on your white coats congratulations you may be seated our next group of students represent the master of science and biomedical research learning community led by dr danita eatman daniels ladies and gentlemen please stand and remain standing when i call your name brianna kennel nia thompson and alicia williams ladies you may now put on your white coat congratulations please be seated our next student group represent online master of science and biotechnology learning community i know many of you are not here and in the interest of time i will only call the names of the students that i am sure are here the online master of science in biotechnology is ably led by dr james lillard and dr angelita howard students please stand in your place as i call your name keisha bentley chantricia colbert elizabeth awino karissa primrose and james washington ladies and gentlemen please put on your white coats please be seated our next group of students represent the master of science in clinical research clinical research faculty mentors are dr lily emma glock and miss jacqueline ali master of science and clinical research students please stand in your location as i call your name dr lanka de baio brittany bush morgan coleman malaysia mcfadden taylor lawson dr carly smith and our very own dr lakeisha tables ladies and gentlemen please put on your white coats congratulations you may be seated master of science in medical sciences are you ready the msms learning community group is led by dr rita finley who also serves as the director of the msms program and assistant dean for educational outreach and health careers students please stand in your location and keep and stay standing as i call your names aminat animashong blake archer baez jasmine baylor alden brown ashley carter lindsay clark naomi kohl's peter daring peyton forbes sidney mitchell kelly montgomery ayanna mohammed and tyra mussington ladies and gentlemen please put on your white coats and you may now be seated thank you and now a second group of the master of science in the medical sciences ladies and gentlemen please stand in your location as i call your name dr finley thank you for doing double duty oh this is a clue sylvester okoro michael or para ado ernest ochere naima rasheed austin rich rasheeda richards bralanson saint julian simone salter edgar scott arthur sirful umber sky wheat and mary warmack ladies and gentlemen you may now put on your white coats please be seated our final group of jeb students represent the master of science in neuroscience learning community students please stand in your location as i call your names learning community master of science in neuroscience learning community is led by a faculty dr morris benveniste who also serves as the director of the msns program kai brady tamara bracher lacy foster tiana johnson tamiya manning ashley middlebrooks kayla mondayzi and janie yates ladies and gentlemen please put on your white coats and you may now be seated it's my pleasure now to call on dr ward curling acting associate dean for graduate studies who will conclude this segment of our presentation with the scientist pledge dr curling first of all a very big welcome from the jebs faculty and staff [Music] i'm sorry in three two first let me welcome all of our jeb students on behalf of the jibs faculty and staff who really look forward to working closely with you to pursue this degree and welcome to the large morehouse school of medicine family page 26 in your program of all jeb students would stand recite the pledge with me and any scientists that wish to join us i accept this opportunity to follow the difficult and rewarding path of biomedical science and clinical research i will endeavor to honor all those who have contributed to this opportunity by always working to the utmost of my abilities and by increasing those abilities when possible i will strive to advance fundamental knowledge about all living things i pledge to use my energy intellect and education to enhance the lives of all mankind understanding that often the greatest strides are made through efforts to assist the dispossessed and underprivileged of our world i will carefully consider and remain mindful of the ethical implications of my work i will never use my gifts and skills to intentionally harm any individual or group in planning and carrying out my work i will treat this planet in all of its life forms with honor and respect i will honor and respect the efforts of my teachers taking great care always to give credit where credit is due and always humbly understanding that all that i see i see by standing on the shoulders of the many scientists who have gone before me i will also honor and respect my students and all who rely on me on that which i have learned striving to truthfully and openly disclose all my methods findings and conclusions so long as i adhere to this pledge may i have continued success in the field of biomedical science and clinical research congratulations let's continue thank you so much dr kerlin to everyone my sincere apologies for the technical difficulties that we experienced i can tell you that we have an excellent group of people who are working behind the scenes to make sure that you're seeing this ceremony and i thank them for all of their effort now it is time to recognize our master of public health students and they are placed in their learning communities in their neighborhood planning units these are students who work in these units where there is so much need for their public health energies we will start with neighborhood planning unit care at the mother hubbard and the faculty mentor is dr valerie newsom garcia i also want to recognize my former student and fellow alumni alumna alumnus mr brenton powers program manager for the mph program who will also assist the students mother hubbard mpu students please stand when i call your name priyanka chowdhury jamira chevron daviana griffin angel huerta mamacanta jordan sanders and brianna wiggs ladies and gentlemen you may now put on your blazer and pen congratulations please be seated now for the neighborhood planning unit i at the berean seventh-day adventist church food bank ably led by dr elaine archie booker [Music] students please stand in your location as i call your name naomi campbell morgan davis rasheera dobson malik matthews and kiana strickland ladies and gentlemen please put on your blazer and pin congratulations you may now be seated now please help me welcome the members of net neighborhood planning unit t learn to grow led by a faculty doctor gamerchu gerby students please stand in your location as i call your name alexis bell tony sage carson amanda iworgo nakaya melvin amba sylvain and caleb whitfield please put on your blazer and pin congratulations please be seated and finally the mph neighborhood planning unit l at vine city english avenue communities the this mpu is led by a faculty member dr raynada waldrop students please stand in your location as i call your names morgan burrell jalen ford benjamin brianna holliday javez mitchell and gabrielle spurlock please put on your blazer and pin congratulations please be seated next we will recognize our executive master of public health learning community ladies and gentlemen please stand wherever you are as i call your name the executive master of public health learning community is ably led by our faculties doctors elaine archie booker dr gamerchick gerby and dr reynada waldrop taylor belcher dr kelly boyd barnes lawrence burgess burgess i'm sorry if i pronounce your name mispronounce your name devin davis dr linda frazier nathanael joachim sharida joe dr afolake mo bolaji brent moss dr victoria obala shatima paige and nicola williams ladies and gentlemen please don your blue blazer and pin you may be seated it is my pleasure to call on dr stephanie miles richardson who serves as the associate dean for graduate education in public health director of master of public health program and professor of community health and preventive medicine who will lead our graduate education in public health students in their declaration dr stephanie miles richardson please [Music] students please stand first of all congratulations on a 25th anniversary for the mph program at morehouse school of medicine we are in a challenging time for public health but this is an exciting day the world needs you now let's read together the international declaration of health rights health requires peaceful and equitable development and collaboration of all peoples the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being it is not a privilege for those with power money or social standing health is more than the absence of disease but includes prevention of illness development of individual potential a positive sense of physical mental and social well-being health care should be based on dialogue and collaboration between citizens professions communities and policy makers health service should be affordable accessible effective efficient and convenient health begins with healthy development of the child and a positive family environment health must be sustained by the active role of men and women in health and development the role of women and their welfare must be recognized and addressed health care for the elderly should preserve dignity respect and concern for a sustainable environment with balanced human populations growth and preservation of cultural diversity health depends on availability to people of basic elements food safe water housing education productive employment protection from pollution and prevention of social alienation health depends on protection from exploitation without distinction of race religion political belief economic or social condition and together the oath we as people concerned about health improvement in the world do hereby commit ourselves to advocacy and action to promote the health rights of all human beings thank you and you may be seated [Music] so [Music] msu oh msc on phd thank you again and ladies and gentlemen i crave your indulgence because of the technical difficulty we experience i want to make sure that we don't omit any of our student small groups let's recognize our master of science in clinical research students they are in at their learning community led by faculty dr lily emmerglock and miss jacqueline ali students please stand in your location as i call your name dr lanca adebayo brittany bush morgan coleman malaysia mcfadden taylor lawson dr carly smith and dr lakeisha tables please put on your white coats [Music] welcome mscr students a very special welcome from your jebs faculty and staff who again look forward to working with you as you pursue this degree and welcome to the msm family if you'd like to look at your program on page 25 and recite with me the scientist pledge i accept this opportunity to follow the difficult and rewarding path of biomedical science and clinical research i will endeavor to honor all those who have contributed to this opportunity by always working to the utmost of my abilities and by increasing those abilities when possible i will strive to advance fundamental knowledge about all living things i pledge to use my energy intellect and education to enhance the lives of all mankind understanding that often the greatest strides are made through efforts to assist the dispossessed and the underprivileged in our world i will carefully consider and remain mindful of the ethical implications of my work i will never use my gifts and skills to intentionally harm any individual or group in planning and carrying out my work i will treat this planet in all its life forms with honor and respect i will honor and respect the efforts of my teachers taking great care always to give credit where credit is due and always humbly understanding that all that i see i see by standing on the shoulders of the many scientists who have gone before me i will always honor and respect my students and all who rely on that which i have learned striving to truthfully and openly disclose all my methods findings and conclusions so long as i adhere to this pledge may i have continued success in the field of biomedical science and clinical research congratulations [Music] thank you dr curlin and thank you to everyone let's give a round of applause for all of the members of the entering 2020-21 class of morehouse school of medicine as is customary i want to recognize constitution day which officially occurs on september 17th the day that the u.s constitutional convention signed the constitution in 1787. i also want to just give a heart warm thank you to all of the staff all of the leaders all of our external partners all of the families and of course our student body for making this day possible we clearly understand at morehouse school of medicine the impact that this pandemic has had on what we describe as our normal day-to-day activities at morehouse school of medicine many of which we took for granted last year this time we could not have phantom that we would be in this place at this place in this way what i am so proud of though is how everyone has shown agility resilience and grit and how everyone has made the necessary sacrifices including our faculty who had to turn to academic continuity over a three-day period of time and they have remained committed to presenting and executing an excellent curriculum for all of our programs to what we call our essential workers who never stopped they never took a break our security team our facilities and cleaning team and those who care for special programs here at morehouse school of medicine that could not take the time to work every other day i only come in once a week or work by any virtual opportunity and then i have to thank the leaders the leaders who stand side by side with me to make sure that i stay on track but also who have brought their leadership acumen to ensuring that we do this right we know that we are not out of the woods but i can definitely tell you i am beginning to see the trees within this forest and we are navigating a path to you all a path that will allow us to continue to educate and train this next generation to do what we do best as we allow for the opportunity of the promise of science through discovery for our communities we will continue to provide excellent clinical care whether with a mask as required or over some type of device or in person and yes we will continue to be what the community expects of us and that is that trusted entity this virus has not and will not beat us and as we move forward you all we will continue to be respective of science we will be respectful of science you all that will be our guiding force for making our decisions and keeping our communities safe i said thank you so much it is such an honor to continue to serve as the president and dean of morehouse school of medicine welcome to this fabulous class of 2020-21 you are already making us proud now let me ask the doctor reverend crawford to come and deliver the benediction we ask that all students and advisors remain in your rooms at the conclusion of your ceremony we will release you on a staggered basis by program to maintain social distancing when your program is called please report to the first floor of the billet subaru pavilion where we will be taking pictures on the staircase outside once your class photo is taken you will be directed to where to pick up your meal as you prepare to leave campus thank you let us now receive the benediction the word in the old testament genesis says and god said let there be light and there was light now unto your god the beginning of who who we will ever be and the end of whatever we become you o god who moved upon the feasts of the deep that primordial chaos and you simply said let there be light and there was light let us now hear your voice in the middle of this continuing race upheaval and global pandemic let us hear your voice saying let there be light let there be light oh god in our social economic darkness that no man woman bar girl feel that poverty will exclude them from the opportunities to see a brighter day let there be light in our sexual orientation debates that discrimination will not determine destination let there be light in the environment of inner city and even in the rural areas of america where no one will feel as though where they are from will determine where they can go let there be delight god let there be light in general oppression that women may sit at the table with men as equal and determine the course of our tomorrows let there be light and racial darkness that skin will not be a symbol of adversity and exclusion but rather sign of inclusion and diversity and now god let your luminous presence go with your people be with us all this as we pray in your name amen yes you

Channel: Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM)

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Length: 145min 55sec (8755 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 18 2020