Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President and Rosh Yeshiva | Yeshiva University
Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President and Rosh Yeshiva | Yeshiva University
On May 16, the Katz School held a Health Sciences Celebration where 67 graduates from the M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology and Occupational Therapy Doctorate programs received white coats to mark their transition to professional clinical practice. This event followed the school's main commencement exercises.
Dr. Michaela Medved, clinical assistant professor of speech-language pathology, addressed the graduates, emphasizing that the white coat symbolizes professionalism, caring, trust, and authority. "Being a healthcare professional is a huge responsibility but a great honor," she said. "Your patients and their families are going to look to you as a lifeline. Whatever you choose to do, do it with love, do it with care, do it with compassion."
Dr. Mindy Garfinkel, interim program director of the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, noted that while it is no longer customary for occupational therapists to wear white coats due to their work in nonmedical settings like schools and homes, the coat still conveys an important message. "The white coat symbolizes the donning of a new professional identity, one of scholar-practitioner," she stated.
Several awards were presented during the ceremony. Dr. Piermiline Datilus, Dr. Brynna Kaplan, Dr. Ashley Mathew, and Dr. Katherine Mueller received Academic Achievement Awards for maintaining GPAs over 3.85 in the OT Doctorate program. Additional awards included Clinical Excellence (Dr. Amanda Brenner), Leadership (Dr. Dalia Planer), Scholarship-Practitioner (Dr. Amanda Hoberman), and Service (Dr. Leeyah Azizi).
In Medical Speech-Language Pathology, Krystine Boisoly, Rachel Eliav, Davida Farnam, Marina Fletcher, Briana Horwich, Rachel Horwitz, Esther Kreislman Tehilla Peyamipour Danielle Sherman Yu Wei Young earned Academic Achievement Awards Heather Andrade received Medical SLP Advocacy Award Emmaline Bradley Cindy Salinas awarded Online On-Campus Clinical Key Excellence respectively.
The Speech-Language Pathology program also recognized clinicians who demonstrated leadership in creating progressive learning environments: Speech Solutions Hawaii (Excellence in Clinical Supervision—West Coast), Speech Tree (Excellence in Clinical Supervision—East Coast), Kristin Testani from New York City Department of Education (Excellence in Clinical Education), and Maria Panayiotou from All in 1 SPOT with TheraTalk (Preceptor Award).
Assistant Dean of Health Sciences and Program Director of M.S., Dr Marissa Barrera emphasized importance clinical excellence integrity: “As clinicians we are part larger community healthcare professionals fellowship comes responsibility ensure always providing best clinical care each every one your patients Remember by wearing your white coat making promise yourself profession patients humanity have integrity everything.”
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