A few tears and thunderous cheers filled the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Fla., on May 6 as families, friends, staff and faculty watched the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Class of 2022 take the final step from medical students to doctors.

Morsani College of Medicine (MCOM) Dean and USF Health Senior Vice President Charles Lockwood, MD, MHCM, congratulated the graduates on being “a unique class” that completed their four-year medical school journey during a time marked by political strife, economic turmoil and the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockwood also stressed the importance of becoming physicians in a world that continues to evolve and is now dominated by what he called “a cruel and wholly unnecessary war.”

Charles Lockwood, MD, spoke on Friday, May, during the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation.

“In the 21st century, health is not global, not local—dynamic, not static—and medical knowledge is accelerating at an unimaginable rate,” he said. “It falls to determined and bold individuals such as yourselves to meet these current challenges and the ones that lie ahead of you.”

The Class of 2022 includes 166 graduates, of which 159 were expected to participate in Friday’s ceremony.

John Couris, President & CEO of Tampa General Hospital, received Dean’s Award on Friday, May, during the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation ceremony at Mahaffey Theater.

The 2022 Deans Award was presented to John Couris, president and chief executive officer of Tampa General Hospital. Lockwood praised Couris as an instrumental advocate for the partnership between USF Health and Tampa General, which has resulted in the newly formed USF Tampa Physician Group.

“John has had a transformative effect on the organization, prioritizing innovation by launching new programs, embracing state-of-the-art technologies, and embracing patient safety, outcomes and satisfaction,” Lockwood said. “We at USF Health are incredibly grateful for his friendship and continuing partnership.”

This year’s honorary degree recipient was world-renowned infectious disease expert Claire Pomeroy, MD, chief executive officer of the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation and professor emeritus at the University of California-Davis. Her leadership roles have included being president of the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Services (CARES); chair of the Council of Deans of the Association of American Medical Colleges; and fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her work as an infectious disease physician has been focused on addressing social determinants of health, strengthening public health infrastructure, and caring for the underserved.

Claire Pomeroy, MD, waved to the crowd after receiving her honorary degree on Friday, May, during the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation ceremony.

Echoing Lockwood, Pomeroy emphasized to the students that their knowledge and skills as physicians would be needed in a world dealing with the pandemic, racial injustice and the Russian attacks on Ukraine.

“You will go on to practice medicine at a time in which these upheavals have laid bare the imperative to reform our healthcare systems and achieve our profession’s mission of creating better health for all,” she said. “As you accept your diploma today, I urge you to also accept the charge to lead us in the change our nation needs.”

Prisca Alilio, MD, who was chosen by her classmates to deliver the class farewell speech, said her experience working in the hospitals at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic helped her understand that more is needed to succeed as doctors.

Prisca Alilio,MD, spoke on Friday, May, during the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation ceremony at Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Fla.

“Though the pandemic threatened the safety of our communities and had us part with loved ones prematurely, we scheduled and rescheduled to take Step 1, donned our N95s and joined our dedicated care teams in the hospitals and clinics,” she said. “Our reward is a sacred one: to join the ranks of a profession entrusted to render service to humanity with full respect of the dignity of man.”

Alilio was also chosen by the other medical students to receive the Doctor’s Doctor Award, along with fellow senior medical students Britton McGlawn-McGrane, MD, and Charles Jang, MD.

Before the ceremony concluded, Karim Hanna, MD, recipient of the student-elected 2022 Osler Award, which recognizes the most outstanding role model, delivered the charge speech to the students. Hanna challenged the students to be more than just doctors.

Karim Hanna, MD, spoke on Friday, May, during the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation ceremony at Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Fla.

“Let’s be doctors who chase compassion, not competition,” she said. “By carrying our MD, we are saying we are prepared to co-suffer, we are prepared for discomfort. We will provide help, hope and love to those in need. I will seek out these opportunities. That is what makes us physicians.”

The graduating class of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 was photographed during the ceremony at Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Class of 2022 Award Recipients:

Donn L. Smith Award: Awarded to the top performing CORE student.

William Steele Fisher, MD and Chang-woo Jang, MD

Morsani College of Medicine Dean’s Award: Awarded to the top performing SELECT student.

Stuart Polk, MD

Luther McEachern Memorial Award: Awarded to the senior medical student who excels academically and exhibits outstanding service the school.

Nat Jones, MD

Doctor’s Doctor Award:  Student-selected award  presented to s senior medical student(s) who they would choose as their personal for family’s physician:

Britton McGlawn-McGrane, MD; Charles Jang, MD; Prisca Alilio, MD

Carol M. Petrucelli, MD, Award for Outstanding Student in Dermatology:

Caroline Gerhardt, MD

Charles E. Aucermann, MD,  Excellence in Family Medicine: Vincent VanBerkum, MD

Outstanding Contributions to Sports Medicine: Grace Benmhend, MD

Outstanding Sennior Student in Psychiatry: Alex Dolan, MD

Outstanding Student in Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry:

Jack Lyden, MD and Katherine Ammon, MD

Chairman’s Award for Scholarly Activity: Alex Dolan, MD

MCOM Dept. of Surgery Outstanding Student Award: Logan Prager, MD

Dr. Laurie Woodard Community Advocate Award: Nadia Mohammed, MD

Charles Lockwood, MD, (left) and Bryan Bognar, MD, hooded Catherine Blackburn, MD, on Friday, May, during the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation ceremony.

Roy H. Behnke, MD, Award for Excellence in Internal Medicine: Alicia Darwin, MD

Laennec Award for Excellence in Clinical Medicine: Lauren Strang, MD

Florida ACP Student Award: Maria Kocab, MD

Lawrence Kahana Award for Outstanding Physical Diagnosis Skills: Daniel Wind, MD

Internal Medicine Chairman’s Award: Andrew Matar, MD

Award for Outstanding Achievement in Molecular Medicine: Zachary Makovich, MD

Award for Outstanding Achievement in Neuroscience: Vineet Nadkarni, MD

Award for Outstanding Achievement in Immunology and Infectious Disease: Daniel Martin, MD

Award for Outstanding Achievement in Physiology: Joshua Shultz, MD

The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine commencement book.

Brown Farrior Award for Excellence in Otolaryngology: Shreni Shaw, MD

Senior Student Excellence in Neurology: Byron Cheon, MD; Sage Hewitt, MD; Grace Kim, MD;

Vineet Nadkarni, MD; Sathvik Shastry, MD

Outstanding Academic Achievement (Highest Score on Neurology Exam):

Lauren Strang, MD; Steele Fischer, MD

Outstanding Achievement in Pharmacology: Charles Jang, MD

Christopher P. Phelps Award for Excellence in Anatomy: Eric Taylor, MD

John U. Balis Award for Excellence in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine: Steele Fisher, MD

Award for Outstanding Achievement in Pre-clerkship Clinical Medicine:

Alicia Darwin, MD, and Michael Mortellaro, MD

Graduates take advantage of the beautiful weather on Friday, May, after the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation ceremony in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Basic Science Chairs Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Basic Sciences: Lane Polk, MD

Tampa General Hospital Medical Staff Basic Science Award: Lauren Strang, MD

Tampa General Hospital Medical Staff Clinician’s Award: Lilla Kis, MD

Tampa General Hospital Medical Staff Humanitarian Award:

Claire Bethel, MD and Lauren Holt, MD

Tampa General Hospital Foundation Scholar’s Award: Brennan Ninesling, MD

Tampa General Hospital/USF Global Emerging Disease Scholar: Kimberly Menezes, MD

Phillip T Gompf Award for Excellence in Infectious Disease:  Brennan Ninesling, MD

ACOG Robert G. Nelson Award for Outstanding Achievement in OB/GYN as a third-year medical student: Lilla Kis, MD

Anna Lauchnor, MD, received her Navy lieutenant insignia from her grandfather on Friday, May, during the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation ceremony at Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Fla.

ACOG James M. Ingram, MD Award for Outstanding Achievement in OB/GYN:

Lauren Holt, MD

USF Department of OB/GYN James M. Ingram, MD Award: Melissa Chan, MD

Dept. of Pediatrics Outstanding Medical Student Award: Olivia Hardy, MD

FCCAAP Luther W. Holloway Award: Catherine Blackburn, MD

Lewis A. Barness, MD Award: Brennan Ninesling, MD

Marck Manuals:  Steele Fisher, MD; Charles Jang, MD; Linda Lu, MD; Anastasia Jermihov, MD

AMWA Glasgow-Rubin Certificate of Commendation for Academic Achievement:

Alicia Darwin, MD; Caroline Gerhardt, MD; Anastasia Jermihov, MD; Lilla Kis, MD;

Linda Lu, MD; Shruti Kulkarni, MD; Jordan McDonald, MD

Outstanding Contributions to Student Life Award: Prisca Alilio, MD

Thomas and Elizabeth Flannery and William and Mary Tibbels Scholarly Award:

Brennan Ninesling, MD

Florida Gamma Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society

Graduates listened on Friday, May, during the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation ceremony.

Gold Humanism Honor Society

Graduates laugh on Friday, May, during the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation ceremony at Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Robert A. Good Honor Society

Anastasia Jermihov, MD, kisses her boyfriend after the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine class of 2022 graduation ceremony.

Photos & Video: Allison Long

Story: Freddie Coleman & Allison Long