On Thursday, May 1, the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine graduated 305 new Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, sending them off to begin their residencies and careers as physicians.
The day began with a banquet and awards ceremony to celebrate the class, along with faculty, staff, family and friends.
Commencement followed that evening at the MSU Breslin Student Events Center. Attendees were welcomed by Joyce deJong, D.O., MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine dean, and Rijul Maini, Class of 2025 president, followed by a keynote address from Terrie Taylor, D.O., University Distinguished Professor at the college.
Festivities continued Saturday, May 3, when college leadership, faculty and staff reconvened at the MSU University Club for a celebratory dinner and presentation of this year's D.O.-Ph.D. Physician-Scientist Training Program graduates with this year’s speaker Dionisia Quiroga, D.O., Ph.D., program alumna, oncologist and assistant professor at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Graduating D.O.-Ph.D. students and visiting program alumni pose for a photo with Joyce deJong, D.O., dean for the college, Michelle Volker, D.O.-Ph.D. academic program coordinator (far left) and Brian Schutte, Ph.D., co-director of the D.O.-Ph.D. program and associate professor in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and in Pediatrics and Human Development.
"Our role as physician-scientists, I think, is increasingly important today because there is a large amount of misinformation in what we do... in science and medicine, and we serve as a very unique role... first as D.O.s, but in general as physician-scientists, in that we have meaningful, honest relationships with our patients, but we also have the ability to speak [to] the importance of science and evidence-based medicine,” Dr. Quiroga said. "You can be the smartest scientist in the world. You could have created the cure for breast cancer, but if you can't communicate to your patient the importance and why they should be completing that treatment – and they maybe believe what they heard on TikTok [from] their favorite influencer instead that day – you're not going to be a successful physician. You have to have that balance of both to be successful."
Of the college’s 305 new D.O.s, 98% matched to residencies. Of these, 67% percent will remain in Michigan to complete their residencies. 37% will train in primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics or med-peds). For more information about the college, visit osteopathicmedicine.msu.edu.