SC Connecticut News

On May 10, Woolsey Hall was filled with family and friends celebrating the graduation of the 73 members of Yale School of Medicine’s (YSM) Physician Assistant (PA) Online Class of 2024. The graduates hailed from 28 different states, a fact that elicited frequent applause and cheers throughout the ceremony.

The commencement address was delivered by Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Interim Program Director of the Yale Psychiatry Residency Program Richard Belitsky, MD. Belitsky, who served as YSM’s deputy dean for education from 2006 to 2020, played a crucial role in launching and supporting the PA Online Program. He opened his speech by stating his intention to discuss feelings with the students. He humorously noted, “you invited a psychiatrist to be your speaker, what do you expect?”

Belitsky encouraged the students to not only take care of their patients but also to look after their own emotional well-being. Drawing on his personal experiences from medical school, he urged them to acknowledge and embrace their feelings as they navigate through their medical careers.

Sharing an anecdote from his internship days about a young patient questioning why his doctor was causing him pain, Belitsky emphasized the importance of acknowledging emotions in medicine. He wished that instead of being told not to let it get to him, he had been reassured that such feelings were normal.

Deputy Dean for Education and Harold W. Jockers Professor of Medical Education Jessica Illuzzi, MD, MS commended the graduates on their accomplishments. She highlighted their hard work during the intensive program and applauded them for their commitment towards providing patient-centered care.

Illuzzi also recognized the diversity within the graduating class – 42% were first-generation college students, 23% identified as underrepresented in medicine, and 25% resided in medically-underserved communities. She stated that these diverse experiences would benefit both their class and their future patients.

In her student address, Meghann McAndrew, MMSc ’24, echoed Illuzzi's sentiments about the positive impact the graduates would have on their communities. She praised her classmates for their resilience and expressed confidence in their ability to improve healthcare in underserved communities.