STUDENT LIFE

SGA PRESIDENT: ERIND MUCO

Class of 2021 – What an honor it is to graduate alongside all of you. When I think back to July of 2017, sitting in Lecture Hall 201 for orientation, I never imagined that the strangers I was sitting next to would go on to become my lifelong friends.

Medical school has been a tremendous privilege and challenge for all of us. Last-minute cramming for the quizzes every Friday, trying to survive neuro block, and even deciphering the brachial plexus in anatomy lab come to mind as some memorable challenges. Not to mention the climate change crisis in Lecture Hall 202.

We have been through a lot and deserve to celebrate this monumental day with our loved ones. As we look forward to residency training, and beyond, I encourage you to be grateful for the opportunities we have in caring for patients, and to continue to nurture the drive and hunger for accomplishing great feats.

I want to thank our fantastic professors, attendings, administrators, mentors, and school staff for their dedication to medical education. Without you, this would not be possible.

Congratulations and thank you to the Class of 2021! Good luck with everything you hope to achieve!

Erind Muco SGA President

CLASS PRESIDENT: DARA FAZELNIA

Class of 2021 - I imagine that when we all entered medical school 4 years ago, we anticipated the challenge. We were primed with analogies of firehoses because evidently the closest metaphor for a medical education is being blasted in the face with water. We certainly knew there would be difficult exams, 24-hour surgery call, and many opportunities for self-doubt, but even the most conspiratorial among us could not have predicted a global pandemic that would disrupt our training at the most critical point. Despite the unpredictability of virtual interviews and canceled away rotations we trailblazed onward into uncharted territory and will continue to do so for the rest of our careers.

It seems there are two constant factors that have marked the past four years and may characterize the years ahead: that we are constantly faced with uncertainty, but that we have each other to help guide us through the fog. My friends and colleagues, I celebrate this day with you, proud of our individual accomplishments, while recognizing the strength we drew from each other along the way.

As we look forward to our careers ahead of us, I encourage us all to look back on the people that helped us along the way. The classmates who laughed with us during latenight study sessions, the spouses/partners who listened to us vent after stressful days, the mentors who shared their wisdom with us. I hope during this graduation season that you are proud of the amazing journey you have taken. I wish you all the best as you continue your medical training. Despite the uncertainty that lies ahead, I hope you know that you have a cohort of classmates, colleagues and, friends beside you along the way.

Dara Fazelnia, Class President