MEDICAL SCHOOL UPDATES
UAMS : White Coat Celebration Reflects Expansion at Two Campuses
In a historic first for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences ( UAMS ), incoming College of Medicine freshmen donned their white coats on stage in both Little Rock and Fayetteville in an Aug . 5 ceremony reflective of the college ’ s growth at two campuses .
UAMS faculty and loved ones applauded the new medical students as they completed the rite of passage in the first in-person ceremony since the start of the pandemic . The program was livestreamed between the two auditoriums and online for other well-wishers .
The Class of 2026 is the largest in UAMS history with 188 students . Seventeen are based at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville , including three who are in the Primary Care Scholars accelerated three-year MD track that was established last year for highly qualified students who plan to enter careers in primary care .
This is the first year UAMS has had students from all four years of medical school based at UAMS Northwest Regional Campus . In addition to the freshmen , they include nine sophomores who started in Fayetteville last year . They are joined by 20 juniors and 16 seniors this year , more than a decade after UAMS began placing thirdand fourth-year medical students at the Fayetteville campus to learn with faculty physicians and health care facilities throughout the region .
Top : UAMS freshmen recite the Medical Student Oath in Little Rock . Bottom : UAMS freshman Suzette Lopez dons her white coat in Fayetteville .
Students choosing the Little Rock campus often cite the comprehensive , major medical center and biomedical research environment as a plus . “ The opportunity to collaborate and learn from in-house experts provides invaluable means for academic growth ,” said junior Conor Roset .
Students at the Fayetteville campus appreciate being part of a tightknit group , with small clinical rotation teams and significant individual attention from faculty . “ I really enjoy the small class size and the relationships I ’ ve built with my classmates and the program leaders at UAMS Northwest ,” said freshman Kelly Fowler . ■
“ The expansion of our medical education program in Northwest Arkansas is a crucial aspect of our commitment to generating much-needed physicians for our state ,” said Susan S . Smyth , MD , PhD , executive vice chancellor and dean . “ Each of these campuses has distinct features that will be appealing and beneficial for individual students , but they both provide exceptionally high quality medical education .”
FALL 2022 | VOLUME 119 | NUMBER 2 53