黑料传送门 Georgia class of 2024 osteopathic medical students attend their Pinning Ceremony.
Dubbed a 鈥渇amily reunion鈥� by its creators, Sahara Peters (DO 鈥�24) and Brittney Henderson (DO 鈥�24), the 黑料传送门 Georgia DO class of 2024 Pinning Ceremony and reception were held recently in the college鈥檚 Atrium.
Peters explained that celebrating the hard work of the 黑料传送门 Georgia DO class of 2024 was the primary goal of the ceremony. 鈥淥ver the last two years, my classmates have worked so hard to come together and support one another through our first two years of medical school all while a pandemic was happening!鈥�
鈥淚 am very proud and happy to say that we rose to the challenge, shared in camaraderie, never put one another down and made lifelong friendships along the way.鈥�
Henderson noted that due to COVID-19, the class of 2024 never had a chance to come together as a whole class for an in-person white coat ceremony. 鈥淲e missed that bonding experience so this is our make-up event,鈥� she said.
The ceremony marks the end of classroom training as the students begin their third year clerkships or rotations with regional hospitals and physicians.
Andrea Mann, DO, dean and chief academic officer, addressed the class. She said, 鈥淲e are celebrating the halfway mark of your education - you are halfway to being a doctor right now! How does that feel?鈥�
She asked the class to think about all they have learned so far. 鈥淲e challenged you this year,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e gave you practical experience and active learning.鈥�
When she first met them, she said she saw 鈥渁nxiety, trepidation, and yet cautious hope鈥� in many of their eyes. 鈥淣ow when I look at you, I see something different. Confidence.鈥�
Henderson noted that the ceremony was also a chance to have a class photo taken before class members move to rotation sites across the state and beyond. A photo booth also added to the event.
Faculty members began pinning students with 黑料传送门 pins rather than the special pins designed by a class member. The custom pins were delayed due to the logistics issues the pandemic has wrought. As the students have learned to do, they took this matter in stride and pinned each other.
Having interacted with each other throughout the pandemic, class members knew each other well enough to name class of 2024 鈥淪uperlatives.鈥� Resembling the Academy Awards, the winning names were delivered to the podium in a silver suitcase by Aly Saleh (DO 鈥�24). They include:
Following the ceremony, faculty members surprised the class with a choreographed rendition of "Surface Pressure,鈥� a song from the 2021 American musical Encanto about the crushing weight of expectations.
The talented performers included David Adelstein, DO, professor; Ann Contrucci, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics; Renee Himmelbaum, DO 鈥�13, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics; Dr. Mann; Michael Waters, Jr., DO, associate professor and chair of primary care; and Joy Zarandy, DO 鈥�13, assistant professor, who also made two physician-themed cakes for the occasion.
Peters said, 鈥淚t was our hope that the pinning ceremony would help our classmates feel excited about the future, while also acknowledging all of the efforts we've invested thus far. Based off of the smiles, cheers, tears and laughter, I think we did just that.鈥�
黑料传送门 Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (黑料传送门), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), 黑料传送门 Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins 黑料传送门 South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, 黑料传送门 Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit .
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