UMSOM Bids Farewell to the Class of 2023

The University of Maryland School of Medicine Celebrates its 214th Graduation Ceremony

Graduates in the Class of 2023 at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) gathered at the Hippodrome Theatre on May 18, along with their families, friends, and School of Medicine faculty and staff, to celebrate their official transition from medical students to physicians. UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor, presided over the ceremony marking his first UMSOM graduation as the 31^st dean of the School. The graduating class of 140 physicians received their doctoral hoods in front of the assembled audience. Several graduates earned combined MD/Masters and MD/PhD degrees.

In his direct address to the class, Dean Gladwin remarked, “You all are symbolically crossing a privileged threshold… whether you like it or not, you will always be defined by this great pandemic that spanned each of your four years of medical school.” He continued, “These years remind us that in our academic medical centers we all enjoy the privilege, but great responsibility, to serve on the front lines confronting great generational challenges faced by humanity… I am convinced that you will be the greatest generation and capable of confronting these incredible challenges ahead.”

The Class of 2023 matched at 74 different healthcare facilities in 26 states, with 34 percent of matching students staying in the state of Maryland for their residency training.

In addition to remarks from Dean Gladwin and selected faculty and students, the ceremony also featured a keynote address to the Class of 2023 by Dayna Bowen Matthew, JD, PhD, Dean and Harold H. Greene Professor of Law at the George Washington University Law School. As a leader in public health and civil rights law, Dean Matthew devotes much of her attention to addressing health disparities in low-income and historically vulnerable communities.  

In a captivating keynote address, Dean Matthew emphasized that health is a biproduct of justice and urged students to partner with other experts, including lawyers, in the fight to eliminate disparities in medicine. “I believe justice in this country depends on you. You do justice by ensuring the most vulnerable people in society have the same opportunities as everybody else,” she said. “We need you. Justice does not happen if you leave it just to the lawyers.”

UMSOM Graduation 2023 Video

Dean Matthew was also presented with a Dean’s Distinguished Gold Medal in recognition of her extraordinary career accomplishments and in acknowledgement of her decades-long commitment to removing barriers that prevent equitable health care. 

Reflections from UMSOM’s Class of 2023

“My experience in the trauma resuscitation unit was a defining moment of my medical school career and solidified for me the reasons I wanted to practice emergency medicine – to serve patients in their most critical time of need. There are very few medical schools in the world that can offer in-depth trauma training to their students the way Maryland does.”

Aaron D’Amore, MD ’23, Class President for the Class of 2023, will complete his residency in Emergency Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

“The most crucial advice I have received while at UMSOM is to never forget to give myself grace. With failures come maturity, perseverance, and resilience, all of which are qualities that make a great physician.”

Rachel Edoror, MD ’23, will complete her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Maryland.

“I have valued my interactions with the diverse patient population during my clinical rotations at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC); it has prepared me for my next chapter. The neurology residents at UMMC were such great teachers and mentors and inspired my passion for neurology.”

Nicholas Fioravante, MD ’23, Class of 2023 Faculty Gold Medalist, will complete his residency in Neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“Like many of my fellow graduates I feel nervous about starting residency; however, we are well-prepared for the road ahead. Completing my medical education at UMSOM not only gave me a solid education, but it also exposed me to patients of diverse backgrounds and made me comfortable navigating a variety of interpersonal situations.”

Amrita Sarkar, MD ’23, will complete her residency in General Surgery at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Graduation 2023 Photo Gallery

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