127 graduates begin training – one-fourth remain at SB Medicine, rest open in New York and 19 other states
Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM) celebrated its 49th convocation on May 17, conferring Doctor of Medicine degrees to 127 graduates who will begin their first assignment as residents this summer. Collectively, they will practice in New York and 19 other states. About a quarter of the class will be residents of the Stony Brook Medicine location.
Dr. Peter Igarashi presided over this convocation for the first time as Dean of RSOM. He also led his graduates to recite the Hippocratic Oath and the Physician Oath, the first physician to do so. John M. Caesars, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President for Health Sciences at the University of California, San Diego, delivered the convocation address.
“You are starting your career in medicine at a time when the need for physicians has never been greater. The skills you learned at Stony Brook University laid the foundation for your career,” said Hal, Executive Vice President. Pass doctor, master said. Welcome remarks were made by the Ph.D. of the Department of Health Sciences at Stony Brook University and the Chief Executive Officer of the School of Medicine at Stony Brook University.
“Among you are future residents in internal medicine, emergency medicine, anesthesiology, neurology, psychiatry and pediatrics, just to name a few. We are committed to providing care, and it is great to hear that the majority of you are in New York and many started their careers here in Stony Brook.”
One of the recent graduates who remains at Stony Brook Medicine as an emergency medicine resident is Erin Rabin. Notably, she gave birth the day before her call and was at the ceremony with a baby girl.
“For most of you, almost all of your medical school education has taken place amidst the oppressive clouds of the COVID-19 pandemic. No,” said Dr. Igarashi. “When the pandemic hit New York, you pivoted rapidly to distance learning and social distancing. You bravely came to the hospital to learn how to care for your patients, and your resilience and dedication have brought you here today.”
Graduates join more than 5,800 Stony Brook alumni who have earned their Doctor of Medicine degrees from RSOM. This newest group of emerging physicians will be a post-pandemic, where more physicians are continually needed due to trends such as an aging population, the prevalence of chronic diseases, and the emergence of new long-term illnesses due to the pandemic. Join the medical workers of the times. Healthcare transformation, such as the growth of telemedicine and more specialized care services, will also open up opportunities for these new physicians.
Primary care services such as medicine and pediatrics remain a much needed and growing practice in our society. According to the 2021 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges, our country faces a shortage of 21,000 to 55,000 primary care doctors over the next decade. A significant portion (21%) of graduates will enter the primary care field from further training.
Some recent graduates moved into the medical field earlier than the traditional four years. His 3-year MD program at RSOM continues to add students. This year, 11 students graduated, the highest number in the school’s history.