UMKC School of Medicine students had plenty of company in celebrating their graduation. In a combined graduation ceremony, the School recognized those receiving their Doctor of Medicine, Master of Science in Anesthesia, Master of Science in Bioinformatics, and Graduate Certificate in Clinical research on May 24 at a Commencement Ceremony at Swinney Recreation Center.
It was the first time for the School to bring together all of its graduate and professional degrees recipients for one ceremony.
Betty Drees, M.D., dean of the medical school, addressed the larger than usual group of graduates and applauded them for their accomplishments.
“It’s been our privilege to watch each of you grow and thrive throughout your medical training as well as your other degree programs,” Drees said.
Yosafe Wakwaya, M.D., ’13, stood before friends and family during the ceremony and reflected on the past six years, calling them “without a doubt, the best six years of my life.”
As the speaker on behalf of the Class of 2013, Wakwaya described the journey from entering school as a wide-eyed, first-year medical student to celebrating Match Day and now becoming the School’s newest alumni physicians.
“We spent our most impressionable and defining years together and then together we accomplished what most will consider our greatest achievement in life second to becoming a parent,” Wakwaya said. “I’m proud to call myself a part of the class of 2013.”
Thomas Toth, M.D., ’86, addressed the audience as the 2013 E. Grey Dimond, M.D., Take Wing Award recipient. Toth thanked the school and its founders for his medical education. He said that training through mentoring is critical to learning to how to provide care with compassion and said it’s a skill that separates UMKC School of Medicine graduates from graduates of other medical schools.
“Looking back, I believe our success goes back to the docent system,” Toth said. “I’m certain this is why our graduates take on leadership positions with ease, skill and joy.”
Class of 2013 Senior Awards
Noor M. Abu Alnadi: Lee Langley Award for Academic Excellence
Chetna Arora: Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Scholarship, Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Simran Arora: Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Scholarship, Missouri State Medical Association Honors Graduate
Himanshu Kumar Banda: School of Medicine Dean’s Scholarship, Ratilal S. Shah Medical Scholarship Fund, E. Virginia Calkins Memorial Scholarship
Gina Faye Brown: Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Manuel David Camejo: Merck Manual for Outstanding Achievement in Medical Education
Nikoo Cheraghi: School of Medicine Dean’s Scholarship, Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Meera Chinnaswamy: J. Michael de Ungria, MD, Humanitarian Award
Michael Edward Ferrante: Master of Science in Anesthesia Student Ambassador Award
Adam M. Fleddermann: School of Medicine Dean’s Scholarship, C. L. Tung, MD, – E. Grey Dimond, MD, Matching Scholarship, Malhotra Family Scholarship for Academic and Clinical Excellence, ACP Senior Student Book Award
Sapna Mary George: Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Scholarship
Matthew Lentz Goers: UMKC School of Medicine Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Senior Partner
Mena G. Kerolus: School of Medicine Dean’s Scholarship, St. Louis Friends of UMKC School of Medicine Award for Research
Yevgeniy Khariton: St. Louis Friends of UMKC School of Medicine Basic Science Award
Sivaramya Kollipara: School of Medicine Dean’s Scholarship, Richardson K. Noback Founders’ Award for Clinical Excellence, UMKC School of Medicine Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Medical Education, Thomas Hamilton, MD, Award for Excellence in Pathology
Muhammad Zain Mirza: Pat D. Do, MD, Scholarship in Orthopaedics
Shaham Syed Mumtaz: Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Scholarship
Samantha Jean Nohava| School of Medicine Dean’s Scholarship, E. Virginia Calkins Memorial Scholarship
Jolaiya Y. Ogunniyi: School of Medicine Scholarship, Shaffer Award for Community Service
Vikas Keval Patel: Missouri State Medical Association Honors Graduate
Jacob Podleski: Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Scholarship, E. Virginia Calkins Memorial Scholarship
Ashwini Suresh Poola: Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Scholarship, E. Virginia Calkins Memorial Scholarship, Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Nabeel Porbandarwala: J. Michael de Ungria, MD, Humanitarian Award
Hassan Rao: Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Scholarship, Marilyn McGuyre Scholarship in Medicine
Chanakyaram Reddy: Merck Manual for Outstanding Achievement in Medical Education
Rosemarie Orene Serrone: R.R. Hannas, MD, Emergency Medicine Award, James F. Stanford, MD, Patient Advocate Scholarship
Abigail Tina Shniter: Society for Academic Emergency Medicine 2013 Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award
Kristin Burns Smith: School of Medicine Dean’s Scholarship, E. Virginia Calkins Memorial Scholarship
Shubra Srinivas: Laura L. Backus, MD, Award for Excellence in Pediatrics, Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Scholarship, Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Kush Harshavardhan Tripathi: Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Scholarship
Yosafe Temesgen Wakwaya: Western Missouri Friends of UMKC Harry S. Jonas, MD, Award
Grace Winningham: School of Medicine Dean’s Scholarship, Louis & Elizabeth Nave Flarsheim Scholarship, Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation, Bette Hamilton Memorial Award for Excellence in Immunology
Peter Winningham: School of Medicine Dean’s Scholarship, Malhotra Family Scholarship for Academic and Clinical Excellence, Thomas Hamilton, MD, Award for Excellence in Microbiology
