As the Pandemic Ebbs, Hope Awaits the Class of 2021
A socially distanced congratulations at RSDM hooding ceremony.
Their last two years of dental school were spent in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Class of 2021 graduated last month in a virtual convocation ceremony that underscored their value at time when health care is being radically reshaped.
“It is too soon to tell what the lasting legacy of this past year will be, but I’m hopeful that society’s renewed appreciation for science, wellness and the health care professions will usher in a Renaissance of life changing discoveries,’’ said Dr. Brian Strom, Chancellor of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.
He expressed hope in a “new horizon for health care that is vivid with potential.’’
Dean Cecile A. Feldman reminded the class of 156 DMD and postgraduate students that they held a unique place in history. “You are a very special class,’’ she said. “You have a special bond because you are living through the COVID-19 pandemic. No other class has endured this type of disruption...You should cherish this bond. Even with social distancing, you were there for each other.’’
She observed how the COVID-19 crisis has indelibly transformed the way dentistry is practiced, ushering in new protocols and PPE, and compared it to changes brought by the HIV pandemic.
“Dentists and other health professionals were also terrified of this new and unknown disease,’’ she recalled. “We initiated the use of PPE and demonstrated that with the use of masks and gloves, you couldn’t contract the virus...I learned that we as dentists had a role to play in stopping erroneous myths about how HIV spreads.’’
The dean urged students to find their passion and follow where it leads. “Figure out what excites you, what keeps you up at night, whatever puts a gleam in your eye, and pursue it. With passion comes the drive for excellence.’’
Although like last year’s ceremony, this year’s convocation was digital, students participated in a live hooding event that was videotaped at the school by RyArMo Photography Studio and presented during the online ceremony.
Convocation also included the presentation of the Stanley S. Bergen Medal of Excellence to student David Cifelli and the Excellence in Teaching Award, presented to Dr. Rami Muadab. The Excellence in Research Award was given to Dean Feldman, who last year received an $11.7 million Natiional Institute of Health (NIH) grant to study the combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen as an alternative to opioids.
