Graduation had a slightly different look and feel because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the excitement and joy was the same. The UMKC School of Medicine honored 145 members of the Class of 2020 on May 18 with an online commencement ceremony.
School of Medicine Dean Mary Anne Jackson, M.D., joined Chancellor C. Mauli Agrawal, Ph.D., and Dana Thompson, M.D., ’91, the E. Grey Dimond, M.D., Take Wing Award recipient, in applauding the graduates.
The celebration included video clips of graduates being hooded by family and friends at home as each name was read following a congratulatory message from each individual’s docent and program director.
“It’s been inspiring to see the resilience and determined efforts of our students, faculty and staff,” Jackson said. “But our success has not been surprising because the School of Medicine has always taken a different approach.”
This class will be part of a team of health care providers involved in developing and implementing new diagnostics, therapies and vaccines going forward, she said.
“You will continue to be the heart of the health care system as we traverse the next days, weeks and years of this pandemic,” Jackson said. “Be proud and celebrate this day. We are honored to have been a part of this success.”
In her recorded message, Thompson talked about the values of learning, diversity, integrity, accountability, respect and collaboration that the school has imparted upon its more than 4,000 graduates.
“As health care professionals, all of you are also leaders,” Thompson said. “Each one of you will lead teams, policies, processes and procedures that will change health care education, research and delivery. These values have shaped each one of you for success as you start your careers at this time of unprecedented change in medicine. As the world changes, so must we. You will be called upon to shape and change the future of medicine.”
Dean of Students Honors Recipients
Fourteen School of Medicine students are among those nominated as Dean of Students Honors Recipients. Students are nominated by faculty and staff for their commitment to academic success while actively participating in leadership and service to the community and our university outside of the classroom.
The students are Priyesha Bijlan, Morgan Dresvyannikov, Elsa George, Thomas Haferkamp, Chizitam Ibezim, Anusha Kodidhi, Christopher Kurian, Rmaah Memon, Anthony Oyekan, Nicole Rogers, Subhjit Sekhon, Mehr-Zahra Shah, Saumya Singh, Garima Thakkar.
Nominators and students recorded videos reflecting on this semester’s honors.
School of Medicine 2020 Senior Awards
Master of Science in Anesthesia
Sadie Laddusaw | Student Ambassador Award
Doctor of Medicine
Priyesha Bijlani | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Emily Boschert | Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation; Missouri State Medical Association Honors Graduates
Tim Brotherton | Malhotra Family Scholarship for Academic and Clinical Excellence
Shelby Chesbro | Dean of Students Honor Recipient; Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Jordan Dhuse | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Morgan Dresvyannikov | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Karen Figenshau | Malhotra Family Scholarship for Academic and Clinical Excellence; Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Elizabeth George | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Keerthi Gondi | Friends of UMKC School of Medicine Harry S. Jonas, M.D., Award; Missouri State Medical Association Honors Graduates
Thomas Haferkamp | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Chizitam Ibezim | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Robert Johnson | J. Michael de Ungria, M.D., Humanitarian Award
Anusha Kodidhi | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Christopher Kurian | Dean of Students Honor Recipient; UMKC School of Medicine Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Senior Partner
Robert Link | Pat. D. Do, M.D., Matching Scholarship in Orthopedics
Cynthia Liu | Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Neil Maitra | ACP Senior Student Book Award; Friends of UMKC School of Medicine Basic Science Award
Rmaah Memon | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Daniel O’Toole | Bette Hamilton, M.D., Memorial Award for Excellence in Immunology; Lee Langley Award; Merck Manual for Outstanding Achievement in Medical Education; Richardson K. Noback Founders’ Award for Clinical Excellence; Thomas R. Hamilton, M.D., Award for Excellence in Microbiology; Thomas R. Hamilton, M.D., Award for Excellence in Pathology
Anthony Oyekan | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Nikita Rafie | Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
Zachary Randall | Dean of Students Honor Recipient; James F. Stanford, M.D., Patient Advocate Scholarship; UMKC School of Medicine Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Medical Education
Marcella Riley | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Nicole Rogers | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Landon Rohowetz | Dean of Students Honor Recipient; Friends of UMKC School of Medicine Award for Research; Merck Manual for Outstanding Achievement in Medical Education; Missouri State Medical Association Honors Graduates; Ratilal S. Shah Medical Scholarship Fund
Subhjit Sekhon | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Mehr Zahra Shah | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Saumya Singh | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Shane Storm | Laura L. Backus, M.D., Award for Excellence in Pediatrics
Garima Thakkar | Dean of Students Honor Recipient
Krishna Trivedi | Women in Medicine Scholarship Achievement Citation
