NYITCOM at A-State Celebrates Commencement of 113 Physicians

JONESBORO, Ark. – New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) at Arkansas State University (A-State) celebrated 113 new physicians at its fifth-annual Commencement and Hooding Ceremony, which was held last Friday at First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro.

NYITCOM’s hooding ceremonies, which serve as the medical school’s graduation, are a symbolic passing of the guard from one generation of physicians to the next. New physicians are called to the stage to receive their doctoral hoods, which are either presented by medical school faculty and leaders or family members who are also physicians.

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Shane Speights, D.O., dean of NYITCOM at A-State, opened the ceremony by challenging the Class of 2024 to always honor the title of doctor, a highly sought after designation that they received last week following an arduous journey through medical school.

“You are about to enter into the clinical aspects of your training where you will be directly responsible for the care of a patient,” Speights said. “It’s a level of responsibility that many seek, and few have. I ask that you guard this responsibility closely, for it is not to be abused, and it is not to be taken for granted. The relationship between a doctor and a patient is one of a sacred trust, and undoubtedly one that we will all experience at some point.”

The NYITCOM at A-State Class of 2024 arrived in Jonesboro in 2020 as the fifth class on the medical school’s Arkansas campus. Makayla Lund, D.O., president of the Class of 2024, encouraged her classmates to stay humble as they celebrate one of their most significant accomplishments of their lives.

“Amidst the immense privilege of our profession, let us never lose sight of the humanity that lies at its core,” Lund said. “As we embark on this next chapter of our journey, let us do so with humility, with integrity, and with an unwavering commitment to excellence. Let us embrace the challenges that lie ahead with courage and determination, knowing that we have been uniquely equipped to make a difference in the lives of others.”

Members of the Class of 2024 will begin their medical residencies in July as they embark on the next phase of their medical education. The Class of 2024 experienced a 99 percent placement rate in the National Resident Matching Program in March, and 70 percent of the class will perform their residency in a primary care specialty.

In addition to the 113 students who received their Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree Friday, NYITCOM honored 19 students who completed the college’s Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences degree, a program that was created in 2020.

“It is our sincere hope that you will always remember what the staff and faculty at NYITCOM have wanted for you from the very beginning,” Speights said at the conclusion of the ceremony. “We want you to be successful, attain your goals, and make a positive impact on the world around you through your gifts.”

About NYITCOM at Arkansas State University:  New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, located on A-State’s Jonesboro campus, is dedicated to improving access to health care for the underserved and rural populations in Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta Region. Arkansas annually ranks near the bottom among states in overall population health status due to low health indicators including obesity, hypertension and diabetes. The state also ranks near the bottom of states in the number of active physicians per capita and in the number of primary care physicians. NYITCOM at A-State was established in 2016 with the mission of meeting the need for more physicians in this medically-underserved area.

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