The Doctors Can See You Now

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 2, 2011) — Doctor of Medicine degrees were awarded to 92 University of Kentucky College of Medicine students at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 14, at the UK Singletary Center for the Arts.

"Graduates, you've been granted a great privilege — caring for the well-being of others," said Dr. Emery Wilson, interim dean of the College of Medicine and vice president for clinical academic affairs. "When we bestow upon you today the Doctor of Medicine degree, we empower you to transform the lives of others, to diagnose their ills, to ease their pain, to heal them and to care for them both physically and emotionally."

Of the graduating seniors, 48 percent chose primary care specialties and 30 percent are staying in Kentucky, of which 24 percent elected to remain at the UK Academic Medical Center. The Class of 2011 will enter 21 different specialties. The following are the top specialty choices: Internal Medicine (17 percent); Family Medicine (12 percent); Emergency Medicine (ten percent); Pediatrics (9 percent); Medicine-Pediatrics (6 percent); Anesthesiology (6 percent); and Psychiatry (5 percent).

At the ceremony, the graduating class selected four honorary class members: Jennifer Brueckner-Collins, Ph.D., former assistant dean for student affairs; Julie McDaniel, director of financial aid; Jason Meyer, originally a member of this class but enrolled into the College's M.D./Ph.D. program, thus his graduation will be sometime in the future; and Saurin Chokshi, who took a leave of absence to pursue a fellowship at the National Institute of Health (NIH) and will graduate in 2012.

MEDIA CONTACT: Julie Meador, (859) 247-1754 ext. 256 or Julie.Meador@uky.edu