With much enthusiasm, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has welcomed 124 future physicians to the beginning of their journeys in science and medicine.
Orientation for the medical school’s Entering Class of 2022 included necessary activities such as faculty introductions, campus tours, and overviews of services such as student health, student support, safety and security, extracurriculars and facilities. The first week also emphasized the university’s emphasis on health and wellness by involving students in mindfulness, coaching sessions, and therapeutic horticulture at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
“Our incoming class of medical students is made up of highly talented, intellectually curious, thoughtful, creative, community-minded and diverse individuals with remarkable academic and personal qualifications,” said Valerie S. Ratts, MD, associate dean for admissions and a professor of obstetrics & gynecology. “They are outstanding people who will become extraordinary doctors and scientists.”
Among the characteristics of the Entering Class of 2022:
- Of the 124 students, 65 are women and 59 are men.
- The average student age is 24 years old, with a range of 18 to 37 years old.
- Nearly half of the students come from groups underrepresented in medicine, including 30 Hispanic/Latino, 17 Black, four American Indian/Alaska Native, and two Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students.
- Six are first-generation students.
- Nineteen students — 10 women and nine men — are enrolled in the Medical Scientist Training Program, which awards both medical and doctorate degrees.
- Students hail from 31 states, with 16 from California; 14 from Missouri; seven from North Carolina; six each from Florida, Georgia and Ohio; and five each from New York, Minnesota and Utah.
- Seven international students come from Canada, China, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Spain.
- Students attended 63 different undergraduate institutions.
“This is our third class entering the Gateway Curriculum,” said Lisa M. Moscoso, MD, PhD, associate dean for student affairs and an associate professor of pediatrics. “The excitement is palpable. I could not have imagined a more talented, diverse, authentic and kind group of students.”
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