New York Medical College Celebrates Class of 2020 Virtually
NYMC 161st and the Touro College of Dental Medicine’s (TouroCDM) inaugural Commencement exercises were celebrated with online pomp and circumstance.
Jennifer Riekert, M.B.A.
Vice President of Communications
New York Medical College
(914) 594-4552
jennifer_riekert@nymc.edu
Valhalla, N.Y., May 19, 2020 – New York Medical College’s (NYMC) 161st and the Touro College of Dental Medicine’s (TouroCDM) inaugural Commencement exercises were celebrated with online pomp and circumstance at 7:00 p.m. on May 19. An audience of more than 1,600 viewers joined in to view the conferral of 528 degrees to the Class of 2020, including 211 doctor of medicine (M.D.) degrees, 43 doctor of physical therapy (D.P.T.) degrees, 8 doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees, 69 master of science (M.S.) degrees, 91 master of public health (M.P.H.) degrees and 3 doctor of public health (Dr.P.H.) degrees from NYMC and 103 doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) from TouroCDM, the first new dental school in New York State in 50 years.
R. Bruce Donoff, D.M.D., M.D., the Walter C. Guralnick Distinguished Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor and former dean of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM), delivered the Commencement address to the Class of 2020. Dr. Donoff has worked tirelessly over the course of his career to break down the barriers between medicine and dentistry, advocating for the integration of what has been commonly viewed as two separate professions in order to improve overall patient health.
Other special surprise guests including well-known individuals from the world of politics, public service, professional sports and entertainment, offered their virtual greetings and congratulations to the Class of 2020. They included NYS Assemblymen Kevin M, Byrne, 94th District, and Thomas J. Abinanti, 92nd District; former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino; NYS Senator Pete Harckham, 40th District; Kirsten Gillibrand, “U.S. Senator for New York; Anthony J. Scarpino Jr. Westchester County Disrict Attorney; New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy; Nicholas Kristof, journalist for The New York Times; Joan Lunden, journalist; Richard Ottinger, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives; Westchester County Executive George Latimer; Howard A. Zucker, M.D., J.D., NYC Commissioner of Health; and Michael D. Israel, president and chief executive officer of WMCHealth.
The NYMC School of Medicine graduating class included 98 new physicians who graduated in April after New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo approved an early graduation plan for the State’s eligible medical students from the Class of 2020. Issuing the executive order, Governor Cuomo made it possible for these new graduates to begin their medical careers early, to provide much needed medical support to the over-taxed hospitals facing the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As graduates of this College, I charge you to defend the proposition that the world is full of our fellow human beings,” charged Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., chancellor and chief executive officer. “That all are created equal and, sometimes our fellow humans are in need of prompt, expert, and humane medical care and always benefit from discovery research. And sometimes we shall be the ones in need of the care and the benefits of research. We shall treat others as we would expect to be treated.”
About New York Medical College
Founded in 1860, New York Medical College (NYMC) is one of the oldest and largest health sciences colleges in the country with nearly 1,500 students and 330 residents and clinical fellows, more than 2,600 faculty members and 23,500 living alumni. The College, which joined the Touro College and University System in 2011, is located in Westchester County, New York, and offers degrees from the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, the School of Health Sciences and Practice, the Touro College of Dental Medicine at NYMC and the Touro College School of Health Sciences’ nursing program at NYMC. NYMC provides a wide variety of clinical training opportunities for students, residents, and practitioners.
# # #