The White Coat Ceremony is often a highlight for first-year medical students, however, another milestone ceremony takes place prior to entering their third-year, and recognizes their transitions from the classrooms into clinics. Rising third-year students from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine recently celebrated this turning point during the Student Clinician’s Ceremony held at the Student-Alumni Center.
The clerkship years marking the point during medical school training when students move from simulation and labs to seeing patients under supervision of a trained physician. They are eagerly anticipated, not only by students, but by the faculty and staff, who have been with the students from the start of their training.
“You don’t know the great deal of respect that your patients have for you each and every day in those encounters,” said Manoj J. Jain, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the UTHSC Department of Medicine, and guest speaker at the ceremony. “You and me, as health care providers, are on that very humbling pedestal where every word, action, and every thought is going to be watched. It’s going to make a difference in your patients’ lives.”
The Gold Humanism Honor Society also announced their new membership class. The new members were selected for displaying humanism and care throughout their training. Honorees were: Mimi Bach, Elizabeth Brallier, Alden Daniels, Peter Duden, Robert Dunn, Brandon Emerson, Joel Finley, Andrew Johnston, Susan Li, Ryan Passaro, Jennifer Rosen, William Shelton, Annie Shepherd, Taylor Stavely, Scott Ward, and Jessica Wright.
A common theme of advice given to the 170 rising third-year students was giving compassionate care and taking the time to also care for themselves. Other guest speakers at the event included Catherine Womack, MD, assistant dean for Student Affairs and UTHSC College of Medicine alumna, fourth-year medical student Kelsey Caffy, third-year medical student Omar Tamula, and Renate Rosenthal, PhD, assistant dean in Behavioral Science Integration who served as the emcee at the event.