NEW YORK (TIP): On Saturday May 20, 2017, Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba celebrated its annual commencement ceremony at St. John’s University in the D’Angelo Center Ballroom.

In attendance were Chancellor Dr. J.G. Bhat, Chairman Edwin Casey, President Ravishankar Bhooplapur, Trustees P.K. Prahalad, M.D., Obi Nwasokwa, M.D., Ph.D., Mr. Frank Croes, and Ravindra Kota, M.D., the clinical chairs of Xavier University School of Medicine, the Dean of Clinical Sciences, Burton Herz, M.D., Interim Chief Academic Officer, Arun Kumar Dubey, M.B,B.S., M.D., Chief Academic Officer Emeritus Brian Little, M.D., Ph.D. and Gabriel Andrade, Ph.D., served as the Master of Ceremonies.

President Bhooplapur gave an exciting Address on the many accomplishments for the school this year. Most notably for our students, reaching a 95% USMLE first time pass rate, and this year’s graduates matching in prestigious residency programs. He continued by acknowledging advancements for the Univerity itself including, acquiring Canadian Provincial Loans and United States Loans for graduate students and receiving accreditation from the ACCM and CAMM-HP. President Bhooplapur closed his speech by ensuring a bright future ahead for Xavier and the graduating class of 2017.

The Keynote speaker Dr. Barry Smith, President and CEO of the Rogosin Institute in New York,New York, graciously addressed the graduates in a thought provoking speech. Dr. Smith posed three questions: where have you come from, where are you at now and where are you going? His heartwarming address discussed the graduates’ importance in the medical community and not only how it would change their lives but how they themselves would change the field. In keeping with academic tradition, special recognition was given to valedictorian Bobak Sharifi, M.D. and salutatorian Varun Goswami, M.D. for their outstanding academic performance as medical students. The Ceremony also included an Alumni Address given by Dr. Rachel Karmally who graduated from Xavier University School of Medicine in 2012. She passionately urged graduates to remember why they entered medicine and gave them her own set of wisdoms to get from this milestone to where they want to be in the next five years.

The graduates of the class of 2017 were:

• Abdulmuttaleb Al Soufi with Honors
• Aditi Sarker
• Ahmad Faour
• Alimohamad Manji with Honors
• Amar Gokli
• Angitha Alex
• Bobak Sharifi
• ChideluOnyeaniNwosu
• Christophe Jerjian
• Dale Adebayo
• Deepti Kalani with Honors
• DurgaPemmaraju
• Eesha Khan with Honors
• GrishmaJalemu
• Hajira Khan
• Hesham Tayel
• HussamTayel
• Ingrid Martinez
• Jessica Kainth
• Jude Akpede with Honors
• Julian Ang Keng Hao
• Kaycee Umeoji
• Kishan Patel with Honors
• Konstantin Urazov with Honors
• MajdJazaerly with Honors
• Maria Belaev
• Michael Arroyo
• Mina Thomas
• Mohammad Ahmad
• Mohammed Hnoosh
• Mohsin Altafa
• Mousa Sawaged
• Natasha Dyal with Honors
• Naval Walia with Honors
• NeamulHuq
• Niraj Patel with Honors
• Paola Castro Zayas
• Phillip Yohannan
• Pooja Solanki
• Pratick Patel
• Robert Statz
• RoopakSekhon with Honors
• Sasha Sharifi
• Sean Arora
• Shannon Arora