{"id":2197,"date":"2017-08-27T10:14:24","date_gmt":"2017-08-27T14:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/paprogram\/?p=2197"},"modified":"2017-08-29T14:41:56","modified_gmt":"2017-08-29T18:41:56","slug":"httpswww-bumc-bu-edubusm20170818teamwork-harmony-and-remembering-to-take-it-one-patient-at-a-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/paprogram\/2017\/08\/27\/httpswww-bumc-bu-edubusm20170818teamwork-harmony-and-remembering-to-take-it-one-patient-at-a-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Congratulations Class of 2017!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Teamwork, Harmony, and Remembering to Take It \u201cOne Patient at a Time\u201d<\/h1>\n<\/header>\n

\"COM_PA<\/p>\n

Boston University School of Medicine conferred 32 students with Master of Science degrees on Thursday, Aug. 17, as part of its second class of Physician Assistants. Founding Program Director Mary L. Warner, MMSc, PA-C opened the commencement exercises in the 670 Albany St. auditorium, \u201cToday we celebrate personal growth and accomplishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Class of 2017 will be joining the 115,000 practicing physician assistants across the US.<\/p>\n

A brass quartet\u2019s rendition of Pomp and Circumstance signaled the degree candidates to process in among 150 family and friends in attendance. \u00a0Connor Verbruggen, degree candidate and President of the Carl Toney Society, was called to the podium to introduce the commencement speaker Michael Milner, DHSc, DHL, PA-C, DFAAPA.<\/p>\n

Milner, a retired Rear Admiral and Assistant Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, has been a practicing PA for more than 20 years and was appointed to many leadership roles within the profession, including serving as the Regional Senior Health Administrator, the senior-ranking public health officer in the northeast.<\/p>\n

\"COM_PAMilner emphasized the theme of teamwork throughout his remarks. \u201cWe\u2019re part of an interprofessional team. Take the opportunity to be a part of that bigger team. Volunteer when you can because it can help you grow as an individual.\u201d He welcomed the class to the profession saying, \u201cIt is a helping and a healing profession but it is still one patient at a time.\u201d Reflecting on his experience in the health service working with Native Americans, he advised, \u201cYou have to have harmony between what your head\u2019s thinking, what your heart\u2019s thinking, and what your mouth is saying \u2026 and if you don\u2019t have that you have disease, distress and anxiety. Work toward that harmony.\u201d<\/p>\n

The graduation ceremony marks the end of students\u2019 two-and-a-half year journey through an intensive course of study, including an integrated pathophysiology and pharmacology course alongside second-year medical students. Ryan Fox of Colorado was especially proud of making it through the first semester, \u201cWe start things off very quickly, getting thrown into the flames. There\u2019s a lot of catching up to do to get on the same pace as the medical students so getting through that first semester was a very rewarding time.\u201d He highlighted his fellow classmates as the major source of support and motivation and hopes to pursue a career in orthopedics.<\/p>\n

In addition to classroom work, students also complete 14 months of clinical rotations as well as a thesis project. Kelsey Mazur reflected on the comradery shared among her fellow classmates, \u201cDeveloping relationships with classmates and sharing funny stories both at work and outside of work was definitely my favorite experience.\u201d As a former gymnast, she is excited to explore career opportunities in orthopedic surgery. On the PA program as a whole she said, \u201cBeing in rotations with other PA\u2019s from different schools I feel like we were very well prepared. A unique thing about the BU program is being with the medical students during our first year. It was great to be with our fellow physicians who will be working with us in practice in several years.\u201d<\/p>\n

PA Students nominated the following people for awards:<\/p>\n