California’s Newest Medical School Welcomes Class of Compassionate,
Talented Physicians as Shortage of Doctors Continues to Grow
(San Bernardino, CA – July 23, 2019) – Jelena Begovic grew up in Southern California watching her mother
care for others as a practicing physician in Pomona. Now, the Wellesley
and Boston University graduate is a member of the California University
of Science and Medicine, School of Medicine (CUSM) class of 2023, and
hopes to follow her mother’s footsteps in her home state.
“I am excited to return to my community and to Southern California,”
said Begovic, one of 98 students to take the Hippocratic Oath during the
second annual White Coat Ceremony July 20. “It would be an honor
one day to serve my community as a physician and to keep my family tradition
alive.”
CUSM is one of the nation’s newest medical schools, founded as a
public-private partnership to establish a world class medical university
that will address the critical shortage of physicians, improve health
disparities and population health, and address the needs of underserved
areas such as the Inland Empire of California where it is headquartered.
CUSM was made possible through the support of the
Prime Healthcare Foundation,
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and the
County of San Bernardino and shares an affiliation with
Claremont Graduate University.
CUSM is unique among California medical schools for its focus on training
a new kind of physician leader like Jelena Begovic, one who is committed
to providing health care in underserved communities where the physician
shortage continues to grow. California, Southern California in particular,
is in dire need of trained doctors. The physician shortage is particularly
acute in places like San Bernardino County, where there are only 34.5
primary care physicians per 100,000 residents, far below the benchmark
of 60 to 80 doctors per 100,000. CUSM is fulfilling its commitment to
increase the quality of health care available to this region by bringing
talented students to this area and inspiring them to give back here or
to other underserved areas across the world. The majority of the CUSM
class of 2023 (70%) is from California.
The White Coat Ceremony signifies an MD candidate’s entrance into
the medical profession, when they are presented with their first white
coat symbolizing their role as future physicians and take the Hippocratic
Oath. Dr. Paul Lyons, CUSM President and Dean, Dr. Prem Reddy, CUSM Chair
of the Board and Founder, and Dr. Kavitha Bhatia, CUSM Founding Vice Chair
of the Board, presented each candidate with their first white coat.
“CUSM students are exceptionally talented, committed and passionate.
You all came from different paths, but what I believe you all share is
the desire to serve humanity. To heal. To ease suffering, and to make
the lives of others better,” said Dr. Reddy. “Today’s
White Coat Ceremony marks the beginning of your lifelong dedication to
medicine and reflects the value of humanism.”
Following a welcome by Dr. Reddy and a keynote address by Dr. Lyons, students
recited the modern version of the Hippocratic Oath, pledging to dedicate
their lives to the service of humanity and to make the health of their
patients their first consideration.
“The oath and the coat,” said Dr. Lyons. “Each in its
own way, a symbol and a promise. When reciting the oath and when wearing
the white coat, you invoke powerful symbols shared by all who were called
to medicine.”
The event, held at Bridges Hall of Music on the campus of Pomona College
in Claremont, CA, was attended by 450 guests, including representatives
from the offices of State Senator Mike Morrell, State Assemblyman Jay
Obernolte, San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales, San Bernardino
County Supervisor Dawn Rowe, the San Bernardino County Medical Society,
and the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health.
“It is truly inspirational to see such talented students dedicate
their lives to medicine and the service of others. They want to make a
difference by giving back in the most deserving areas and we are honored
to support their hopes and dreams,” said Dr. Bhatia. “CUSM’s
dedication to training exceptional physician leaders who are devoted to
compassionate service is extraordinary.” Dr. Bhatia has had a special
commitment to philanthropic work having worked with Mother Teresa in the
slums of Calcutta and serving as Chair of foundations that are dedicated
to improving the health and lives of others through educational and charitable
initiatives.
This event was also attended by Arrowhead Regional Medical Center’s
Hospital Director, William L. Gilbert, and its Chief Medical Officer,
Dr. Varadarajan Subbiah. Arrowhead Regional Medical Center is the teaching
hospital for CUSM and the future location of the university’s new
campus, which is currently under construction.
The students who participated in this year’s White Coat Ceremony
will complete the Doctor of Medicine program in 2023. The class is highly
accomplished, coming from many of the top universities in the nation,
MCAT scores among the highest (10-25%) and more than a quarter who have
already earned graduate degrees. The class is also diverse, with a nearly
even ratio of male to female students, a third from low-income households
and many from underserved areas.
CUSM student Kristine Enea of San Francisco, California practiced business
law for 25 years and is a published author who discovered her passion
for medicine after becoming a living kidney donor. “Making such
an important contribution to someone else's well-being was more direct
and meaningful than anything I'd done before. I felt an incredible
sense of belonging at the hospital and around medical providers, which
caused me to reevaluate my path and ultimately led me to CUSM,”
said Enea. "As a lifelong California resident now understanding the
significant need in our state, I look forward to practicing medicine in
my community.” Enea holds a Bachelors in Economics from Berkeley
and a Juris Doctor from University of California Hastings, and most recently
completed a Masters of Biomedical Science at CUSM to secure her position
in CUSM’s incoming class of MD candidates.
“I have a passion for science and saw medicine as a way I can work
in science but with a human focus,” said Brandon Rogers, a Riverside
resident who taught middle school science before deciding to attend medical
school. “I hope to study infectious diseases and would be honored
to serve my community as a physician one day.”
Recent surveys show that the income level for the population in the Inland
Empire region is low, where 22.5% live below the federal poverty level.
Employment growth is characterized by low-wage jobs with fewer health
insurance benefits (40.8% are on public health insurance and 17.2% are
uninsured). This correlates with the limited number of healthcare providers.
“CUSM is directing its education, research, and service activities
towards addressing the priority health concerns and wellbeing of underserved
areas, including our own communities in Southern California,” said
San Bernardino County Supervisor Dawn Rowe. “It is critical that
more physicians are educated to provide care to the local, underserved
populations in San Bernardino County, the Inland Empire and California's
Central Valley. CUSM is addressing a critical need.”
About the California University of Science and Medicine
The California University of Science and Medicine is dedicated to advancing
the art and science of medicine through medical education, research, and
compassionate healthcare delivery in an inclusive environment that inspires,
motivates and empowers students to become excellent and caring physicians,
scientists, and leaders. The California University of Science and Medicine
(CUSM) is a not-for-profit health sciences university established in 2015,
led by a dynamic group of MD/PhD faculty members. CUSM offers a Master
in Biomedical Sciences degree program and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) program
to prepare its diverse student body for careers in healthcare, public
service, teaching and research. Learn more at
www.cusm.org.