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Upcoming ceremonial events cultivate a sense of community Events
Celebratory proceedings include Match Day and Commencement 2011

By Lisa Dayne
UMass Medical School Communications 		 March 10, 2011


second year oath  
Members of the SOM class of 2012 recited an oath, which they wrote as a group, that affirmed their commitment to work for the benefit of patients.
March marks the start of spring, as well as a series of celebratory academic events at UMass Medical School, including Match Day, Educational Recognition Awards and Commencement, among others. “All of these events are integral to the life of our institution, as they enrich our campus and enliven our academic community,” said Chancellor Michael F. Collins.

Match Day

On Thursday, March 17, the UMMS School of Medicine Class of 2011 will celebrate Match Day, the day that medical students across the country learn the residency programs to which they have been assigned. According to the National Resident Matching Program, which has been matching residency applicants to programs since its inception in 1952, approximately 16,000 U.S. medical school students participate in the main residency match. In keeping with tradition at UMMS, this year’s graduating class will gather in the Faculty Conference Room on the Worcester campus at noon to receive their envelopes, which they will open simultaneously. Read about Match Day 2010. 

Second-Year Oath Ceremony

On Tuesday, April 5, the UMMS School of Medicine Class of 2013 will stand before family and friends in Mechanics Hall in Worcester and recite an oath that they have written that will emphasize and affirm their commitment to uphold the principles of their profession as they prepare to embark on their clinical education. This Second-Year Oath Ceremony is how UMass Medical School recognizes, in a formal and ceremonial way, that medicine is a humanistic, ethical and moral undertaking as well as a biological science. The event is held at the end of the second year, when students have had experience in clinical settings and have had time to reflect on what it means to be a physician. The ceremony will include an address by Henri Cuénoud, MD, associate professor of medicine, who was chosen by the class as the keynote speaker, as well as the presentation of white coats and Outstanding Medical Educator Awards. Read about last year’s second-year oath ceremony for the School of Medicine Class of 2012.

Educational Recognition Awards

On Tuesday, April 12, presentation of the Educational Recognition Awards will take place at 4:00 p.m. in the Integrated Teaching and Learning Center (iTLC) at the Worcester campus, with live streaming video of the ceremony to that campus’s amphitheaters. Established in 1998, these awards celebrate achievements in teaching and mentoring and exemplify UMass Medical School’s supportive and collaborative learning environment. The Last Lecture will be presented by Sue Gagliardi, PhD, professor of cell biology and neurology, who is the first recipient of the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award. A reception will be held in the Faculty Conference Room following the ceremony. View a slideshow from the Educational Recognition Awards in April 2010.

Commencement 2011

The 38th commencement exercises will take place on Sunday, June 5, from noon to 2 p.m. in a tent on the campus green. The ceremony will be preceded by a brunch in the Faculty Conference Room, school lobbies and in a tent across from the Lazare Research Building (LRB) from 9:30 to 11 a.m. A campus celebration will also be held from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, June 4, under a tent across from the LRB. See complete coverage of the 37th commencement exercises.

Employee Recognition Awards

On Monday, June 6, a ceremony will be held to acknowledge employees who have reached milestone service anniversaries ranging from five to more than 30 years. The ceremony and the dinner to follow will take place under a tent on the campus green from 5 to 8 p.m. View a slideshow from the 2010 Employee Recognition Awards ceremony.