Rogers Andrew Receives White Coat at NYITCOM at A-State Ceremony

2018 Sep 20

Rogers Andrew was among the NYITCOM at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State) medical students who recently received their white coats, a rite of passage signifying the official start of medical school.

The White Coat Ceremony was held on August 10th in the Fowler Center on the A-State campus. During the event, second-year students Anand Bhagat and Margaret Kell were awarded the Gregory William Berner Scholarship, NYITCOM at A-State's first endowed scholarship.

NYITCOM at A-State's newest class is eager to support the mission of improving health care in the Mississippi Delta region and other underserved communities. Seven of the eight Delta region states were represented by the 120 students of the NYITCOM at A-State Class of 2022. Among these students was Roland Brutus of Arkansas, a student intent on continuing the legacy of his physician father, who tragically passed away while helping medically underserved communities in Mexico.

"Although his voice can no longer be heard, the memory of his altruistic life continues to speak into my heart and conscience. The joint work of my father and mother in providing high-quality holistic-care to patients served as an inspiration for me to enroll at NYITCOM as a medical student," said Brutus, who was coated by his mother, also a physician, to the sound of thunderous applause.

"In a time like no other the need for talented, forward-thinking physicians is great, and in this region of the nation especially," said Shane Speights, D.O., site dean of NYITCOM at A-State. "It is for that reason that NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine has stepped forward to help address that need."