{"id":141519,"date":"2024-05-20T09:24:29","date_gmt":"2024-05-20T13:24:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=141519"},"modified":"2024-05-22T16:59:45","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T20:59:45","slug":"ucf-graduates-117-new-physician-knights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-graduates-117-new-physician-knights\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF Graduates 117 New Physician Knights"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>They started medical school during a worldwide pandemic, when ICUs were full and a vaccine undiscovered. They met during Zoom classes from their off-campus homes. Despite the risks, they chose not to cancel in-person anatomy labs and did dissections in protective gowns, face shields and masks. And on Friday, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/college\/medicine\/\">UCF College of Medicine<\/a> class of 2024, known as \u201cThe COVID Class,\u201d became doctors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDespite the challenges you thrived, you learned, you grew,\u201d Deborah German, vice president for medical affairs and dean told students at their commencement. \u201cAnd you cared for your patients with courage, determination and grace.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed oembed oembed-video d-flex flex-column align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\"><noscript><iframe title=\"UCF College of Medicine Graduation 2024\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/obyW_p4jfoQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"UCF College of Medicine Graduation 2024\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/obyW_p4jfoQ?feature=oembed\" class=\" lazyload\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The 117 new physician Knights now enter residency programs across the community, state and nation in specialties that include primary care, surgery and pediatrics. This year\u2019s class includes the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/2-knights-earn-ucfs-first-m-d-ph-d-degrees\/\">medical school\u2019s first two M.D.\/Ph.D. graduates<\/a> and the first to enter medical genetics as a specialty. It also includes a record 16 who will go into the field of psychiatry after witnessing the mental health impacts of COVID isolation.<\/p>\n<p>Kailee Simpson is one of those psychiatrists. Someone advised her not to put life on hold during medical school and she jokes about how closely she followed that advice. Simpson and her husband, Jeffrey, another Class of 2024 graduate, met during their first year of medical school. They married in their third year and had their son, Rafael, during fourth year rotations in Pittsburgh. That\u2019s where she will do her residency in child psychiatry and he will train in orthopedic surgery. Rafael, now 8 months old, attended Friday\u2019s commencement ceremonies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m excited to be able to help kids and work with other physicians to protect mental health,\u201d Kailee says of her career path. \u201cThere is such a need for child psychiatrists. I have worked with patients who said there was a year-long wait for an appointment for their child.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Francesco Sautto will do his medical genetics residency at the University of Michigan, where he will be trained to care for children and adults with rare genetic diseases like Down syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome. He says he is excited to be an advocate for patients who often struggle to get a diagnosis because their condition is so uncommon and need a physician who can address additional complications that come with genetic disease.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese conditions are so rare and barely known,\u201d he says. \u201cBut these are real people with these diseases and I want to be their advocate.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141522\" style=\"max-width: 1100px;\" class=\"figure mx-auto d-block\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"763\" class=\"figure-img size-full wp-image-141522 img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2.jpeg\" alt=\"Three people wearing military uniforms standing on a commencement stage\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2.jpeg 1100w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2-300x208.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2-738x512.jpeg 738w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2-577x400.jpeg 577w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2-360x250.jpeg 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"763\" class=\"figure-img size-full wp-image-141522 img-fluid lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201100%20763%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Three people wearing military uniforms standing on a commencement stage\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201100%20763%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2.jpeg 1100w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2-300x208.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2-738x512.jpeg 738w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2-577x400.jpeg 577w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2-360x250.jpeg 360w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencment_2.jpeg\"><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">From left, military officers Leeann Hu, Tovah Williamson and Asanka Ekanayake take their oath.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Commencement included the promotion of three student military officers who will do their residency training at VA hospitals caring for the nation\u2019s heroes.<\/p>\n<p>Tovah Williamson is a Navy officer who will train in general surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. She says she chose the Navy to honor her father, a Navy veteran, and came to UCF because the medical school was committed to helping each student reach their individual goals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOther medical schools push you into a particular field or specialty,\u201d she says. \u201cUCF was different. They said they would help me fulfill my dreams and all I have ever wanted to be was a surgeon.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Many of the graduates said they came to UCF\u2019s young medical school because of the opportunity to help build a Medical City at Lake Nona that will soon include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/college\/nursing\/\">UCF\u2019s College of Nursing<\/a> facility. UCF Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Johnson talked about the medical school\u2019s accomplishments in his commencement address.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday you become alumni of an innovative medical school committed to improving health for all,\u201d he said. \u201cYour young medical school exhibits a pioneering spirit and anchors a thriving Medical City at Lake Nona with a new UCF partnership teaching hospital and cancer center.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As the graduates leave medical school and go on to serving patients, speakers urged them to care for others with kindness, humility and advocacy. <strong>Monika Farhangi &#8217;19MD<\/strong> now cares for patients as an ophthalmologist at UCF Health, the medical school\u2019s faculty practice.<\/p>\n<p>She says every day she carries with her \u201cthe invaluable lessons I learned at this medical school \u2014 approaching every patient with an open heart and mind, recognizing that every interaction marks a chance to make a meaningful difference.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"674\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-141523 img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4.jpeg\" alt=\"A room full of graduates wearing regalia \" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4-768x431.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4-712x400.jpeg 712w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4-360x202.jpeg 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"674\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-141523 img-fluid lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201200%20674%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"A room full of graduates wearing regalia \" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201200%20674%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4-768x431.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4-712x400.jpeg 712w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4-360x202.jpeg 360w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2024\/05\/UCF_College-of-Medicine_Spring-2024-Commencement_4.jpeg\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The UCF College of Medicine Spring 2024 graduates are known as &#8220;The COVID Class&#8221; because they entered medical school at the height of the pandemic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":141521,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[12,27],"tags":[979,1004,22543],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-141519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-student-life","tag-college-of-medicine","tag-commencement","tag-healthcare"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UCF Graduates 117 New Physician Knights | University of Central Florida News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The UCF College of Medicine Spring 2024 graduates are known as &quot;The COVID Class&quot; because they 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