Aug. 4, 2006

School of Medicine holds first Arnold P. Gold Foundation Student Clinician’s Ceremony

Ceremony helps medical students transition into their third year

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By Brooklyn Jones
University News Services

From left: third year VCU School of Medicine Students Young Hong, Mike White, Chris Hartness and Brian Showalter prepare to recite the compact during the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Student Clinician’s Ceremony. The compact serves both as a pledge and reminder to teachers and students that their conduct in fulfilling their mutual obligations is the medium through which the profession instills its ethical values.
From left: third year VCU School of Medicine Students Young Hong, Mike White, Chris Hartness and Brian Showalter prepare to recite the compact during the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Student Clinician’s Ceremony. The compact serves both as a pledge and reminder to teachers and students that their conduct in fulfilling their mutual obligations is the medium through which the profession instills its ethical values.

The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine held its first Arnold P. Gold Foundation Student Clinician's Ceremony, which for third-year students marks their transition from the preclinical to the clinical years.

The first two years of medical school are mainly occupied with classroom learning, while the third year is an intense agenda of seven clerkships, through which students gain experience in fields as diverse as family medicine and surgery.

The July 31 event was orchestrated by the medical school upon receipt of a grant from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation. The foundation emphasizes the relationship between patient and doctor and uses the Student Clinician's Ceremony to supply direction to students making a transition into their third year of medical school.

Jerome F. Strauss, III, M.D., dean of the VCU School of Medicine, opened the ceremony and addressed any anxiety felt by students, while accentuating the importance of humanistic care for patients.

The ceremony also recognized exceptional role models by presenting them with the Gold Foundation's Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award. Fourth-year students chose six residents who demonstrated strong teaching skills while displaying compassionate care to patients.

This year's recipients were Tristan T. Berry M.D.; Imran Fatani, M.D.; Nicole Kelleher-Linkonis, M.D.; and Elizabeth Zarkin Salzberg, M.D., who all graduated from the VCU School of Medicine. Also recognized were Diane R. Cox, M.D.; a graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Justin G. Myers, D.O., a graduate of Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Barbara Packer, managing director of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, was a guest speaker at the ceremony and stressed how important it was for the students to remain compassionate toward patients.

"Stop to put yourself in that patient's shoes", Packer said. "Stop to remain human. Think about the kind of doctor you want to become."

Cheryl Al-Mateen, M.D., an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry, was the recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award as well as the keynote speaker.