In a rite of passage for 125 aspiring physicians, the School of Medicine at UMass Medical School welcomed its incoming class of new medical students.
“All of you represent the lifeblood of our institution,” Chancellor Michael F. Collins told the members of the class of 2017 at an Aug. 7 breakfast held in their honor.
The class of 70 women and 55 men selected from 1,172 highly competitive applicants represent the best and brightest from 79 cities and 11 counties across Massachusetts. Twenty-one members of this year’s class are in the first generation of their family to attend college; 13 are from groups under-represented in medicine; and 20 are graduates of the UMass system, underscoring the commitment of the only public medical school in the commonwealth to provide affordable medical education to residents.
In his remarks, Chancellor Collins shared reflections on his own journey from medical student to practicing physician. He emphasized the centrality of the laying on of hands in medicine, and what it means to wear the white coat.
He concluded with this important reminder: “It’s a privilege to care for our patients, not for our patients to be cared for by us.”
Listen to Chancellor Collins’ full remarks in the video.
