New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University celebrated 108 new physicians at its commencement and hooding ceremony, which was held at the A-State Fowler Center.
The NYITCOM at A-State Class of 2022 arrived in Jonesboro in 2018 as the third class on the medical school’s Arkansas campus, and the group experienced medical school during a time like no other. Much of the group’s final two years of their undergraduate medical education came during a pandemic, one that impacted healthcare like no other event in recent history.
Joseph Giaimo, DO, president of the American Osteopathic Association, served as one of the featured speakers and spoke of how that changing world provides unique opportunities for physicians.
“You are entering our profession at a time where our world faces a lot of challenges,” Giaimo said. “But I have good news for you. Because of your hard work, because of how you are trained, you are perfectly positioned for the challenges that lie ahead. The core of osteopathic principle is what our nation truly needs. It is perfectly aligned with the mission of this college, training physicians based on evidence-based medicine, critical thinking and the tenants of osteopathic principles and practice. This distinctive approach to treating a patient is exactly what our country needs now.”
NYITCOM at A-State awarded a posthumous degree to Chloe Vaught, a member of the Class of 2022 who tragically died during her third year of medical school.
In addition to the 108 students who received their Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree, NYITCOM honored 13 students who completed the college’s Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences degree, a program that was created in 2020.