Meet the Class of 2016

“You have worked hard to earn a white coat,” said Dean Michael E. Cain, MD, during the Aug. 17 ceremony at Slee Hall. “Now you must work even harder to earn the right to keep it.”

Charles Severin, MD ’97, PhD, associate dean for medical education and admissions, provided an overview of the Class of 2016, as follows:

4,192

608

144 (including 4 MD/PhD students)

32

3.75

3.73

16

25

In addition to majoring in science, members of the Class of 2016 studied international relations, applied mathematics, religion, economics, English, Russian, philosophy, history, film and television, media arts and literature.

A number of students had double majors, including:

• biophysics and business management
• molecular biology and sociology
• biology and philosophy
• chemistry and English
• chemistry and economics
• art and biology

New UB medical students received numerous awards for academic and athletic achievement. 

Among other accolades, students were honored with:

• the New York State Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence
• induction into Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi
• recognition as National Collegiate Scholars and Academic All-Americans

The Class of 2016 conducted research on a variety of medical conditions including Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, Marfan syndrome, immunomodulatory diseases and cancer.

Several students received fellowships from the NIH and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

A number of students have published scientific papers; a few have earned patents related to their research.

One student served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Deployed to Iraq in 2006, he provided security for ground troops during combat operations.

Class members’ altruistic activities included:

• teaching students with behavioral and emotional disabilities
• working for the Special Olympics
• taking mission trips
• volunteering in homeless shelters and for Donate Life
• leading a crochet group for Hospice

One student created gift bags for nearly 100 patients in a hospital pediatric ward.

Athletes in the class include:

• a figure skater who won two bronze medals at the Empire State Games
• an amateur motocross racer who started racing motorcycles at 10
• a runner who participated in a long-distance relay across Florida
• a cyclist who biked from Ithaca, N.Y., to San Francisco for Lance Armstrong’s foundation, LIVESTRONG
• a cross-country running team co-captain
• a swimming and diving team captain
• a football running back
  

Students in the class have also excelled in such sports as racquetball, soccer, tennis, crew, rugby, weight lifting, body building, volleyball, Tae Kwon Do and scuba diving.

The incoming class includes salsa dancers, break dancers and a choreographer of a Latin American dance team.

Musicians include violinists, pianists, guitar players and a gospel singer.

One student received first-place honors in the Olympics of the Visual Arts.

Among the positions students have held are those of:

• chemical development scientist
• medical clinic intern at the U.S. embassies in London and Kiev
• health care policy analyst
• disc jockey
• Farsi language teacher
• film critic
• paralegal

During the ceremony, Peter D. Ewing, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine, received the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award.

Sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, the annual award goes to a faculty member who demonstrates outstanding compassion in the delivery of care, clinical excellence and respect for patients, their families and health care colleagues.