Commencement ceremonies for the University of Nevada School of Medicine Class of 2012 were held this afternoon at Lawlor Events Center in Reno. The 56 graduating students celebrated completion of their medical education by receiving their academic hoods and reciting the Hippocratic Oath, which reaffirms their commitment to the medical profession.
Florence Jameson, M.D., in obstetrics and gynecology at the Women’s Wellness Center in Las Vegas and president of the Nevada State Medical Association served as the ceremony keynote speaker.
The Class of 2012 has a short break before they begin their residency training programs across the country. This year’s graduating class continued Nevada’s tradition of placing in some of the nation’s most competitive residency programs—students will enter specialties ranging from anesthesiology to otolaryngology.
Of note, 32 graduates, or 58 percent, will enter primary care specialties including internal medicine, pediatrics and family medicine. Nationwide, and in especially in Nevada, there is a shortage of primary care physicians. Since nearly 60 percent of physicians completing their residency training in Nevada remain in the state to practice, this is especially good news.
Students matched with some of the most competitive residency training programs, which include placements with Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, Baylor College of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, Mt. Sinai in New York City and the University of Washington.
In addition to celebrating the graduation of the Class of 2012, the School of Medicine honored several faculty and community members who have supported the philosophy and goals of the medical school and have made significant contributions to the health care field in Nevada.
