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Marshall School of Medicine holds one of state’s first virtual graduation ceremonies

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — As many schools around the state are gearing up to hold virtual graduation ceremonies for their Class of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine became one of the first to do just that.

Marshall University President Jerome A. Gilbert, Ph.D., conferred 77 Doctor of Medicine and two Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Research degrees during the school’s 39th annual graduation and investiture on Friday with a virtual ceremony held on the school’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

Jerome Gilbert

“The environment that we are in is certainly challenging and one that all of us are navigating. But challenges do not have to be negative experiences, they can be learning experiences leading to positive steps for a better, more robust understanding of our lives,” Gilbert told the virtual crowd.

“I encourage you to seize this once in a lifetime experience and benefit from the lessons however unusual and unpreceded they may be.”

Joseph I. Shapiro, M.D., Dean of the School of Medicine said, “Despite a nontraditional format, it was incredibly rewarding to participate in this year’s commencement ceremony. This is a terrific class that’s going on to do great things in their careers.”

WATCH: Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine ceremony

Additionally, retired faculty member Bruce A. Ratcliff, M.D., was recognized by the School of Medicine Alumni Association as this year’s honorary alumnus.

The keynote address was provided by Maurice A. Mufson, M.D., professor of medicine emeritus and chairman emeritus for the Department of Medicine. Class President Preeya T. Shah, M.D., M.S., addressed the graduates as the class speaker, and Dakota T. May, M.D., led the class in reciting the Oath of Hippocrates.

“It’s unfortunate in the current social climate that we are not able to go forth with the traditional and anticipated in-person graduation ceremony that has been a tradition at Marshall for the last 38 years,” Dr. Bobby L. Miller, the Vice Dean for Medical Student Education at Marshall said.

“Please accept this virtual presentation as a modest, yet very heartfelt and sincere attempt to provide you with a memorable event on this special day. it’s a milestone in your professional lives.”

Marshall said the Class of 2020 matched to residencies located from Boston, Massachusetts, to Seattle, Washington. 21 graduates will remain in West Virginia with more than a dozen completing residencies at Marshall. Half of the graduates matched to primary care residencies and the other residencies span 15 specialties.

Shah, a native of Hurricane, West Virginia, heads to the University of Virginia for an internal medicine then dermatology residency. May, of Delbarton, West Virginia, matched to a psychiatry residency at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.





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