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| Zachary B. White II, president of the Class of 2021, addresses his fellow graduates at the USA College of Medicine's spring commencement ceremony. |
The Class of 2021, with 69 members, became the 46th class to receive medical degrees from the USA College of Medicine.
Errol D. Crook, M.D., professor of internal medicine and the Abraham A. Mitchell Chair in the Department of Internal Medicine, congratulated the students. “You will be pushed by your faculty and your superiors to have all the answers, to not make mistakes and to document all that you have seen, heard, felt, thought and done, and to do so completely and on time,” Crook said. “In essence, they are asking you to be superheroes.”
Crook reminded the class that they have already lived through several significant health events: the epidemics of obesity and opioid use, and the COVID-19 pandemic, all of which have reduced the life expectancy of Americans and created health inequities.“When you think about those realities, those inequities caused by the pandemic, it’s easy to see how one could be pessimistic,” he said. “It’s because of those superhero qualities and youthful spirit, and your energy and commitment, my colleagues on the faculty and staff of USA Health are optimistic.”
Medical students took the Hippocratic Oath and were hooded by a person of their choosing. Graduates matching at U.S. military facilities also took the military oath. The Class of 2021 brings the total number of physicians to graduate since the medical school’s opening to 2,905.
Zachary B. White II, class president, used the example of a car’s manual transmission as he urged his fellow graduates to “shift up.”
“After you practice, once you’ve maintained focus, it’s time for you to shift up,” White said. “Shift up to be a leader in your residency program. Shift up to go that extra mile for that patient in need. Shift up to be the doctor that the University of South Alabama College of Medicine has trained each and every one of us to be.”
Also at the ceremony, two graduate students received Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Basic Medical Sciences.
The event, which was limited because of COVID-19, was live-streamed on the USA webpage to accommodate those who were unable to attend.
View more photos from commencement on Flickr.
Watch the commencement video on YouTube or below.