First-year medical students at George Washington University, all
products of St. Bonaventure University’s Franciscan Health Care
Professions Program, include (front row, from left) Anita Sambamurty,
Kirsten Norrell, Priya Singhal, Keelan O’Connell, Ashley Kakkanatt. In
back (from left) are Geetha Bhagavatula, Whitney Thomas, Jill Remick,
Kevin Okapal, Darius Mobarakeh and Mark Ghassibi. | | | ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — Eleven St. Bonaventure University graduates who were part of the University’s Franciscan Health Care Professions program have begun their studies at George Washington University School of Medicine.
The students were among first-year medical students who participated in George Washington’s annual White Coat Ceremony on Aug. 20. The ceremony officially welcomes first-year students into the GW Medical Center community.
The students were presented their medical white coats, recited an oath, and signed the School of Medicine’s Honor Code.
Ten of the St. Bonaventure students were accepted into the SBU-GW Combined Degree Program in Medicine as incoming SBU freshmen, while one reserved her seat at GW as a St. Bonaventure sophomore through the Early Assurance Program. In both cases, the students were awarded a provisional acceptance to George Washington School of Medicine and seats were reserved for them at GW upon satisfactory completion of academic requirements at St. Bonaventure.
St. Bonaventure accepts up to 15 students per year for freshman entry into this prestigious and highly competitive dual admission program with George Washington.
It is one of several very competitive programs under the Franciscan Health Care Professions umbrella. St. Bonaventure has combined degree and/or early assurance programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and physical therapy with medical programs at five other colleges and universities.
Among the St. Bonaventure graduates participating in the White Coat Ceremony at George Washington were these members of the class of 2011: Geetha Bhagavatula of Big Flats, N.Y.; Mark Ghassibi, Closter, N.J.; Ashley Kakkanatt, Mount Kisco, N.Y.; Darius Mobarakeh, McLean, Va.; Kirsten Norrell, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Kevin Okapal, Sylvania, Ohio; Jill Remick, Morgantown, W.V; Anita Sambamurty, Mamaroneck, N.Y.; Priya Singhal, Williamsville, N.Y.; and Whitney Thomas, Bridgeville, Pa. Also participating was first-year medical student Keelan O’Connell of Abilene, Texas, a 2010 St. Bonaventure graduate who spent last year doing service work in East Timor.
For more information about St. Bonaventure’s Franciscan Health Care Professions program, go to www.sbu.edu/prehealth.
About the University: Inspired for more than 150 years by the Franciscan values of individual dignity, community inclusiveness, and service, St. Bonaventure University cultivates graduates who are confident and creative communicators, collaborative leaders and team members, and innovative problem solvers who are respectful of themselves, others, and the diverse world around them. No wonder U.S. News and World Report has for years considered us a “Great School at a Great Price.”
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