Freshman Pinning Ceremony Celebrates ‘the Most Outstanding Class’
Hundreds of parents, siblings and other loved ones clapped and cheered as the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Class of 2022 crossed the stage on the Schoninger Quadrangle Friday for freshman pinning – and an enthusiastic welcome to the Miller School family.
Dean Henri R. Ford gave the Class of 2022 an enthusiastic welcome to the Miller School family.
“Thank you for joining us as we pause to celebrate the official entry to the medical profession of the most outstanding class in the history of the Miller School of Medicine, the class of 2022!” said Henri R. Ford, M.D., MHA, Dean and Chief Academic Officer, as the crowd roared in response.
The 19th annual John G. Clarkson Freshman Pinning Ceremony, named for the Dean Emeritus who founded the event, “signifies several important milestones,” Dr. Ford said. “First, you have almost completed your first year of medical school, and you’re still sitting up and smiling! No question that this is a huge accomplishment, but it pales compared to what will come three years from now.
“Second, this gives us the opportunity to officially welcome you into the medical profession. Today you are going to be pinned by physicians who have walked the same path that you are taking. They understand it’s going to take some hard work, and a commitment to lifelong learning.”
Elijah Horesh, a freshman from Parkland in Broward County, is energized by the path he and his fellow students in the M.D./MPH program are taking. “I’m passionate about medicine and I’m passionate about helping people, so I think it’s the perfect job for me,” Horesh said. “I’m doing a dual degree because I want to go into health care and health care systems and make them much more efficient, much more accessible for everyone who needs them. I think the new generation can make some serious changes.”
Alex J. Mechaber, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, pins Savannah Barkdull.
The fact that the Miller School’s M.D./MPH program is a combined cohort makes a big difference to Horesh and his fellow students. “This program is completely integrated,” he said. “We as a class of 50 take M.D. and MPH classes together. It sparks a lot of discussion, and I’m really enjoying it.”
The keynote speaker at the ceremony, alumnus Joel Salinas, M.D., MBA, MSc, an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, told the crowd, “My pinning ceremony was on Friday, March 3, 2006. Same seat, same tent, same warm white coat. … Back then there was no way I could have predicted what the medical field was going to teach me, or where it was going to take me.
“For this next leg of your journey into the unknown I want to share with you the three things that have been most useful and precious in my journey. These are, quite simply, curiosity, compassion and community.”
Dr. Salinas, who is also clinical director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, was born with an extreme form of synesthesia. He has pursued a strong interest in learning about the brain after discovering how atypical his sensory perception was compared with others. His NIH-funded research focuses on understanding human connection and its relation to individual and collective well-being, and he has written a best-selling book about his experiences called Mirror Touch: A Memoir of Synesthesia and the Secret Life of the Brain.
Dr. Salinas told the students that the first strategy, curiosity, means to ask questions, especially the hard ones. “Pursue interests, no matter where they lead you. Allowing yourself to follow and cultivate your curiosity, especially when you might feel lost or overwhelmed, can gently guide you to become a better doctor, a better scientist, and perhaps even a more fulfilled human being.”
Nabiha Khakoo in line with classmates at the John G. Clarkson Freshman Pinning Ceremony.
The second strategy, compassion, “literally means to suffer with,” Dr. Salinas said. “Some of us feel tension between choosing to be warm and compassionate, and being unattached, for the sake of technical competence. To be really excellent as a physician, you need to be good at both. When you struggle to feel compassion for your patient, try to use all of your senses to understand what it’s like to be in their body and in their mind.”
He emphasized that as a physician, “it’s our responsibility to also show compassion for ourselves. To truly put the patient first, we must put the care of ourselves first.”
Community, the third strategy, means creating a feeling and a habit of fellowship with others. It’s about human connection. “To simply let another person know that you’re there and available to listen can change the entire course of a life,” Dr. Salinas said.
“Practicing medicine is an honor, a privilege and a way of life,” he said in conclusion. “And what a wonderful life we get to live.
“Welcome!”
A gallery of photos from the pinning ceremony can be found here.
Tags: Class of 2022, Dean Henri R. Ford, Dr. Joel Salinas, John J. Clarkson Freshman Pinning Ceremony, Miller School of Medicine