VP&S Class of 2025 Celebrates Transition to Clinical Education
Second-year medical students in the Class of 2025 at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons celebrated their transition from classroom-based instruction to clinical education with the Steven Z. Miller Student Clinician’s Ceremony on Jan. 6.
“Years ago, we all committed to this path so that we could have the privilege of caring for others one day, and that day has finally arrived,” said Gabrielle Wimer, president of the VP&S Class of 2025. “The ceremony marks our transition into a new phase of medical training and celebrates all that we’ve accomplished thus far together.”
The ceremony kicks off the medical students’ transition to their Major Clinical Year, a series of rotations through hospital and ambulatory settings through the Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian system and affiliated hospitals. At the ceremony, members of the Class of 2025 shared their class video and read their class oath, which states their values and reaffirms their commitment to medicine and serving underserved populations.
Alyson Fox, MD, associate professor of medicine who spoke at the event along with Nancy Chang, MD, associate professor of medicine, emphasized the importance of building connections with fellow physicians and patients as the students embark on their clerkships.
“You’re entering medicine at a time when technology is at its peak,” said Fox. “As you enter MCY, I would encourage you to take those moments to put down the technology and be as present as possible. Take the time to get to know your patients, not just their medical history but what makes them the person they are. Empower them and let them know you’re in their corner. If you start doing things like this now, it will become a part of your practice, and you will earn the trust and respect of your patients and colleagues.”
The ceremony also honored those who have made special contributions to the medical students’ training, recognizing outstanding clinical and classroom teaching by residents and faculty members and acknowledging humanism in patient care from non-physicians who have inspired the students. The awards are given by the class making the transition into patient-centered education and by the class that just finished its Major Clinical Year.
Major Clinical Year Outstanding Teaching Award
- Marguerite Costich, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics
Fundamentals Outstanding Teaching Award
- Stephen Canfield, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine
Arnold P. Gold Foundation’s Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Awards
- Andrew Chen, MD (PGY-2), Department of Psychiatry
- Wesley J. Earl, MD (PGY-3), Department of Medicine
- Matthew Hidalgo, MD (CA-1), Department of Anesthesiology
- Adam Kroopnick, MD (PGY-2), Department of Neurology
- Evan Kyzar, MD (PGY-3), Department of Psychiatry
- Lee Seligman, MD (PGY-3), Department of Medicine
Outstanding Humanism in Patient Care Awards
- Doreen Weinstein, LMSW2, Creedmoor Psychiatric Center
- Luisa Soriano, medical assistant, NewYork-Presbyterian
- Jaiveer Grewal, RN, NewYork-Presbyterian
- Nicole Simeone, RN, NewYork-Presbyterian
The ceremony is named for the late Steven Z. Miller, MD’84, who founded the first transition ceremony at VP&S in 1998. Miller was the Arnold P. Gold Associate Professor of Pediatrics at VP&S and a national leader in humanism in medicine.
