Congratulations to the class of 2024, now MDs after having donned their hoods and received their diplomas in the annual hooding and commencement events over the weekend. This class braved hardships not previously encountered in that their entire medical school experience has occurred entirely during the COVID pandemic.
They started medical school with remote learning in place and had to be very adaptable given the unpredictable ebbs and flows of COVID. Their perseverance and fortitude have been remarkable. For those staying with us for residency training (over 40% of the class), we look forward to seeing you back in a couple of weeks For those leaving us, we wish you the best of success.
Commencement was also a time of celebration for others in the college. Three faculty — Liliana Bronner (family medicine), Armando de Alda, MD (family medicine) and Shirley Delair, MD (pediatrics) — were each awarded their PhDs. Completing the rigorous requirements of a PhD while carrying out full-time roles as faculty is quite an accomplishment. Congratulations.
At the commencement ceremony, Drs. Michael Sitorius and Kent Lacey, two retired family medicine faculty, received this year’s J.G. Elliott Award. This award is given to “an individual who has made significant contributions to medicine and health programs for Nebraska.” Both have been integral to the success of the UNMC Department of Family Medicine in meeting the need for primary care physicians in rural Nebraska.
Dr. Sitorius served as the chair of the department of family medicine for decades before stepping down from that role in 2020. He also was the principal investigator for the Nebraska Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) grant that also supports primary care workforce throughout the state.
Dr. Lacey practiced family medicine in Scottsbluff for more than 30 years and directed the family medicine residency program track in Scottsbluff. Over the course of their careers, these two individuals have been involved in the training, directly or indirectly, of a high percentage of the family medicine physicians who practice in Nebraska. Their recognition is well deserved.
The commencement ceremony was also somewhat bittersweet as it was the final time that Dr. Jeffrey P. Gold will host the event as chancellor of UNMC. We thank him for all he has done in that role for the college of medicine for the last 10 years, but in turn we look forward to working with him and to his leadership as he assumes his new role as president of the University of Nebraska.
Finally, amid the celebrations we also must remember that a number of our faculty, staff and students are working to get their lives back together after suffering the wrath of the Arbor Day tornados. Please keep them in your thoughts and do what you can to help while they rebuild their homes and/or look for new housing.