School of Health Professions students to be honored at Dec. 14 commencement
Advancements in medicine are rapidly changing the face of health care, making it more proactive, personalized, and convenient. And in an era with demand ever-growing, UT Southwestern’s School of Health Professions is preparing a new generation of qualified leaders to provide compassionate and sophisticated patient care for future generations.
On Saturday, Dec. 14, the school will celebrate the educational achievements of 135 students at an 11 a.m. commencement ceremony held in the Tom and Lula Gooch Auditorium on South Campus. Family, friends, faculty, and staff will gather to wish them well as they begin a new chapter of healing, hope, and discovery.
The school will award the following degrees: Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Clinical Research, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Science in Clinical Science, Master of Science in Health Informatics, Master of Clinical Nutrition, Master of Physician Assistant Studies, and Master of Prosthetics-Orthotics.
Jon Williamson, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Health Professions and a Distinguished Teaching Professor, will preside over the ceremony with a heartfelt message of encouragement and inspiration.
“We gather to celebrate the academic accomplishments of our students as they prepare to join the health care workforce as our newest colleagues. While the UT Southwestern learning environment is designed to be challenging and character-building, the knowledge gained and skills learned will provide a solid foundation for ongoing professional growth. We are very proud of our graduates and wish them much success in all their future endeavors,” Dr. Williamson said.
Sherry C. Huang, M.D., Vice Provost and Senior Associate Dean for Education, will deliver the commencement address and looks forward to celebrating this remarkable milestone with the graduates. A nationally recognized medical educator and physician-scientist, Dr. Huang joined the UTSW faculty on Feb. 1.
“Through their training at UT Southwestern, our graduates are perched at the cutting edge of medical science, social science, and public policy. Our School has focused on human-centered science and innovation and taught our graduates to be ready for the challenges of today with a lens of looking ahead to the challenges of tomorrow,” Dr. Huang said. “They will continue to diversify in their scopes of practice and levels of specialization. As they pursue their goals, I want them to remember this time in their lives and what it has taught them about science and its service to humanity. I hope they will continue to follow their passions and use science and education as a catalyst for change.”
Carolyn Bradley-Guidry, Dr.PH., M.P.A.S., PA-C, Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Engagement – School of Health Professions and a Distinguished Teaching Professor, will introduce the programs.
“We are incredibly proud of this year’s health professions graduates. They have made significant strides, demonstrated immense dedication, and successfully accomplished their academic objectives to reach this milestone. Their resilience and hard work have brought them to this well-deserved achievement. It has been a privilege to watch them grow both professionally and personally throughout their graduate journey,” Dr. Bradley-Guidry said. “As they step into the health professions workforce, we are confident they are ready to deliver culturally responsive care and advance health equity through excellence in patient care, education, service, and research.”
Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern, will confer degrees and present diplomas.
UTSW’s original School of Allied Health Professions was organized in 1969 during a time of increased sophistication in medicine and with an urgent need to train professionals to fill a variety of newly evolving roles in health care systems across the nation. In September 1970, the School’s first class of 57 students began training in medical technology, physical therapy, rehabilitation science, nutrition dietetics, instructional media technology, and medical records administration. Today, the renamed School of Health Professions offers outstanding opportunities for training in various programmatic offerings, provided by more than 60 full-time faculty members and hundreds of adjunct faculty and clinical preceptors across the DFW metroplex. In more than five decades, thousands of students have graduated from the School of Health Professions, become leaders in their fields, and care for communities in Texas and beyond.
The campus community can access the live commencement online at 11 a.m. on Dec. 14. The ceremony will also be recorded for future viewing on the Student Life website.