CMSRU graduates charter class of physicians

The enormity of the moment was not lost on Sara Zaidi.

“I felt like a huge responsibility was being handed to me,” she said.

Zaidi wasn’t referring to the honor of being the first student ever to receive a Doctor of Medicine hood at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University during CMSRU’s Commencement ceremony on Monday, May 9.

Although, she admitted even that was a little bit daunting.

Rather, as the hood was ceremoniously draped on her shoulders, she felt the responsibility that comes with being a healer and advocate for people when they are at their most vulnerable.

A graduate of Harvard University, Zaidi is headed for a residency in emergency medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital, which is affiliated with Columbia and Cornell universities. She was one of 43 members of the charter class at CMSRU to earn their Doctor of Medicine degrees during the ceremony, held on the field of KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy, next to the medical school building in Camden.

The first new medical school in New Jersey in more than 35 years and the first M.D.-granting medical school ever in South Jersey, CMSRU was established in 2012 through a partnership between Rowan University and The Cooper Health System.

Proudly mission-driven

Gov. Chris Christie and Camden Mayor Dana Redd both attended the ceremony, offering remarks and congratulations to the precedent-setting class. Adrienne Kirby, president and CEO of Cooper University Health Care, presented remarks on behalf of George Norcross, chairman of Cooper’s Board of Trustees. Norcross could not attend the ceremony due a death in his family.

CMSRU is proudly mission-driven, focused on developing highly skilled and socially conscious physician leaders who value a patient-centered, team approach to health care. From their third week in medical school, students were seeing patients, learning what it means to serve patients and the community.

Members of CMSRU’s charter class were selected from nearly 3,000 applicants. In their four years at the medical school, they proudly gave more than 7,000 volunteer hours, serving the citizens of the City of Camden through tutoring, coaching, teaching English and working in community gardens and soup kitchens.

‘You are the first tangible evidence of Camden’s future’

The medical school’s motto is: “Camden is our classroom. Camden is our home.”

“You are the first tangible evidence of Camden’s future,” Christie told the graduates, adding that they have both great responsibilities and great opportunities ahead of them.

“We want to thank the class for volunteering to uplift the Camden community,” Redd said. “Your efforts have been greatly appreciated.”

In turn, as he congratulated and thanked the class, Paul Katz, CMSRU’s founding dean, said the medical school would not thrive without the support of the City of Camden.

“You welcomed us and allowed us to become a part of this great city,” Katz said to the citizens of Camden. “You inspired our students, you energized our team and you helped us define the mission, vision and values of CMSRU.”

Marc A. Nivet, chief diversity officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges, was the Commencement speaker. George C. Hill, chief diversity officer and vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion at Vanderbilt University, received an honorary degree of Doctor of Science. The degree was presented in recognition of Hill’s contributions to the advancement of the fields of education and medicine—and his work to improve diversity and inclusivity in medical schools. A native of Camden, Hill is a founding member of the medical school board of CMSRU.

Rowan President Ali A. Houshmand and Board of Trustees Chairman Linda Rohrer also offered congratulations to the class on behalf of the board and the University.

Additionally, Class President Daniel Lefler, who is heading to a residency in internal medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, gave a spirited class farewell, noting that the class will head off to 30 institutions nationwide for residency programs.