UMSOM Rising Third-Year Medical Students Celebrate Annual Student Clinician Ceremony

Ceremony Marks the Beginning of Clinical Care Training for the Class of 2026

The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) recently hosted the annual Student Clinician Ceremony to help prepare rising third-year medical students for their clinical rotations. The Class of 2026 gathered in Davidge Hall on February 27 to hear from selected faculty members and fourth-year students who provided advice and guidance on how the rising third-year students should prepare for clinical rotations. In their rotations, students begin seeing patients alongside doctors and residents as they gain experience in primary care and medical specialties.

During the ceremony, students placed professionalism pins on each other’s white coats. The pins serve as a constant reminder of their commitment to their patients and profession.

Recorded remarks from Mark T. Gladwin, MD, the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine, were shared with the audience of medical students and faculty members.

“Make sure that you learn to communicate,” said Dean Gladwin, who is also Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore. “A lot of medicine is communication. Lives are saved in the translation of information…You are going to have colleagues, peers, and role models who are great communicators and presenters. Don’t be afraid to ask for their advice.”

Serving as the ceremony’s keynote speaker, Melissa Motta, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Neurology at UMSOM, reminded students of the importance of adhering to a high standard of ethics.  “Cultivate being humble. Remember it’s never about you but about everybody else,” she said. “Ethical conduct is also at the bedrock of medical practice. A good doctor adheres to a strong code of ethics while putting the well-being of patients above all.”

Medical student Sara Case, MD Candidate ’26, believes the next two years of training will be crucial for helping her transform into the kind of physician she envisions herself to be. “I expect the clinical phase of medical training will feel like a dress rehearsal for my future practice,” she said. “I look forward to exploring different specialties, discovering how I want to show up for my patients, refining my clinical knowledge, and learning how to be a part of the clinical care team.”

Medical student Lane Cavey, MD Candidate '26, recalls the experience that first inspired him to begin his medical school journey.

“My journey to medical school was inspired by a passion for social justice and a drive to enact positive change in underserved communities,” he said. “While medicine was always a consideration, it was the experience of assisting underprivileged families with filing taxes in rural Alabama during my undergrad years that truly solidified my commitment. Witnessing the impact of individual engagement on community outcomes underscored the importance of healthcare access and advocacy.”

Medical student Nina Hazra, MD Candidate ’26, hopes to have meaningful interactions with the patients she will care for in the clinical setting. “I hope to be a compassionate provider for all members of the community,” she said. “I hope to grow my skills in clinical interviewing and diagnosis, while forging connections with patients who entrust me with their care.”

Before the ceremony concluded, students recited the Student Clinician Oath as a pledge to their patients in the next stage of their medical education.