Dear medical student colleagues,
Last week, you claimed your place in the Class of 2024 and swore to uphold the ethical standards and guiding principles of our profession. In doing so, you formally accepted our invitation into the health care community and became part our VCU School of Medicine legacy. Monday’s Roll Call and Friday’s Transition to Medical School ceremony were different and historic events held in the midst of a pandemic that has fundamentally changed the way we learn, work and practice medicine.
The decision to enter medical school is not one that is made lightly, and this is especially true during the unprecedented time in which we live. COVID-19 has magnified the passion, dedication, resiliency and courage that it takes to be a physician, and we are thrilled that you have committed yourself to this path.
Over the coming months, you will encounter new knowledge and new ways of thinking about the body and the mind. This training will prepare you for the ever-changing nature of medicine, and we hope will inspire you to not just repeat what others have done, but instead lead us to new and better ways of treating and preventing disease and caring for patients.
Our faculty, staff and other trainees stand ready to help you build on your past successes and your talents to realize your full potential as great doctors. The hard and dedicated work – and the fulfillment it brings – has only just begun.
Thank you for choosing us for this exciting next stage of your careers. We look forward to seeing all that you – both individually and collectively – will accomplish during your time at VCU.
With all good wishes,
Peter F. Buckley, M.D.
Dean, VCU School of Medicine
Interim CEO, VCU Health System, and Senior Vice President, VCU Health Sciences
Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, VCU Health System
Christopher M. Woleben, M.D.
Interim Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education and Student Affairs
Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine