107 students receive medical degrees during Boonshoft School of Medicine graduation

After four or more years of intense study and specialized training, 107 medical students in the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine class of 2023 received their medical degrees during the school’s graduation ceremony on April 30 at the Wright State Nutter Center.

In addition to the conferring of degrees, the ceremony included a “hooding ceremony” in which graduates receive traditional regalia denoting their status and profession.

Students also took a professional oath to mark the start of their medical careers and signed a registry to commemorate their first use of the initials M.D. following their names.

Gary LeRoy, senior vice president for diplomate engagement of the American Board of Family Medicine and a Boonshoft School of Medicine faculty member and graduate, delivered the commencement address.

Gary LeRoy, M.D., senior vice president for diplomate engagement of the American Board of Family Medicine and a Boonshoft School of Medicine faculty member and graduate, gave the commencement address.

LeRoy, an associate professor of family medicine, served as the associate dean of student affairs and admissions at the School of Medicine from 2008 to 2022.

He served as the president-elect, president and board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians from 2018 to 2021.

As a practicing family physician, LeRoy has provided health care services for the Dayton community for 30 years at Community Health Centers of Greater Dayton and the East Dayton Health Center.

LeRoy earned both his bachelor’s degree and medical degree from Wright State University and completed his family medicine residency at Wright State and Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.

In July, the Boonshoft School of Medicine graduates will begin prestigious residencies and receive advanced training in the medical specialties of their choice. The new physicians will enter outstanding residency training programs in Dayton, throughout Ohio and nationwide, including at the Boonshoft School of Medicine, the Cleveland Clinic, Case Western/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Ohio State University Medical Center, Brown University, University of Southern California, Eglin Air Force Base and the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. A complete list of all matches is available at medicine.wright.edu/match.

More than 39% of the Wright State graduates will remain in Ohio during residency, and 33% will remain in Dayton. Twelve graduates will complete their residencies at Wright State University.

More than a third (37.4%) will enter a primary care field — Family Medicine: 12.1%; Internal Medicine: 15%; and Pediatrics: 8.5%; and Internal Medicine/Pediatrics: 0.9%. The rest of the medical students matched in 15 other specialties.

Each year, the graduating class presents an Appreciation Award to recognize an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to the Boonshoft School of Medicine. The class of 2023 honored the Five Rivers Health Center, which has served as a medical home for low-income patients in the Dayton region since 2011 and provides an important academic site for Boonshoft School of Medicine residents and students.

Valerie Weber, M.D., dean of the Boonshoft School of Medicine, presented the Dean’s Award to graduating medical student Grace Owens for demonstrating a commitment to academic excellence, embodying empathy and compassion toward others, exemplifying personal integrity and professionalism, and earning the respect and trust of classmates and faculty.

The medical school presented other awards for the 2022–2023 academic year:

The Teaching Excellence Award to Gregory Toussaint, M.D., assistant dean for clinical skills education and associate professor of pediatrics, who was selected by the class of 2023 as the faculty member displaying outstanding professional skill and pride in discharging his instructional duties.

The American Medical Women’s Association Janet M. Glasgow Memorial Achievement Citations to Megan Luft, Catherine Evers Smith, Tiffany Noel, Maansi Kulkarni and Brenna Lammers.

The Dan W. Elliott, M.D., Award to Tiffany Noel, who is committed to a career in surgery and has shown outstanding performance in surgery during the clinical years.

The Department of Internal Medicine Outstanding Senior Student Award to Jacob Butman.

The Department of Neurology Outstanding Senior Award to Nicholas Capaci and Hanna Peterson.

The Department of Pediatrics Award to Megha Patel, who is committed to a career in pediatrics and has shown outstanding performance in pediatrics during the clinical years.

The Department of Psychiatry Outstanding Senior Student Award to Jesse Cannella.

The Excellence in Public Health Award to Kyle Henneke.

The Glenn C. Hamilton, M.D., Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award to Christiana Draper, recognizing interest and accomplishment in emergency medicine.

The Global Service Award to Brenna Lammers, who has a history of volunteering and rotating in a medically underserved area internationally.

The Homer Cassel, M.D., Award, presented by the Dayton Society of Internal Medicine in honor of the late Dr. Homer D. Cassel, to Blake Herstine for outstanding scholarship and commitment to the specialty of internal medicine.

The John C. Worthman, M.D., Award to Benjamin Ross, a student entering into the Wright State University Family Medicine Residency.

The Larry Lawhorne Award for Excellence in Geriatric Medicine, sponsored by the Ohio Department of Aging, to Zenab Saeed and Olivia Sneary for excellence in the study of geriatrics.

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, to graduate Joshua Kauffman Jantzi and to faculty member Keith M. Reisinger-Kindle, D.O., for consistently demonstrating compassion and empathy in the delivery of care to patients.

The Merck Manual Awards (Merck Company) to Tyler Langenfeld, Daniel Perry and Meagan Luft, who exemplify scholastic achievement in medical studies.

The Nicholas J. Thompson Award to Emily Young, who is committed to a career in obstetrics-gynecology and has shown outstanding performance in obstetrics-gynecology during the clinical years.

The Outstanding Rural Medical Scholar Award, sponsored by the Wright Rural Medical Scholars program, to Deanne Locker for dedication to advancing rural medicine.

The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Award to Leah J. Wolfer, who has demonstrated outstanding proficiency in emergency medicine.

The Walbroehl Award for Family Medicine to Matthew Almany for excellence in family medicine.

The following students were inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society: Shaina Ailawadi, Immanuella Boah, Jesse Cannella, Desby Cheribin, Morgan Cooley, Christiauna Draper, Catherine Evers Smith, Shaveonté Graham, Alanah Grisham, Kyle Henneke, Tanner Hudson, Aisha Jamison, Maansi Kulkarni, Tyler Langenfeld, Ariel Lanier, Benjamin Lewis, Carolina Nadal Medina, Sandra Nguyen, Hanna Peterson, Eduardo Rivé Lockwood, Ahmed Saeed, Aleeya Shareef, Olivia Smith and Lauren Strange.

The following students were inducted into Gold Humanism Honor Society: Steven Borchers, Desby Cheribin, Gisella Drouet, Alanah Grisham, Nishtha Gupta, Janet Lubov, Paige Lewis, Meha Joshi, Joshua Jantzi, Alexis Marrin, Dana Obery, Grace Owens, Jordan Rasp, Ahmed Saeed, Zenab Saeed, Carmen Stone, Laurie Thomas and Carolyn Turner.