For Sophie Hockran, it was a time to reflect. To consider the past four years of medical school at Campbell University.
From beginning as wide-eyed and excited to becoming more confident while navigating exams and accompanying pressures. To finally choose a specialty and applying, interviewing, auditioning and matching.
“That’s the part that we’ve been waiting our entire lives for,” said Hockran, Student Government Association president for the 2025 graduating class of the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine.
On Monday, May 5, the medical school bestowed multiple honors during the Class of 2005 Awards Dinner, held in the student union.
Hockran thanked her friends and colleagues, Campbell faculty, staff and preceptors. She paused for a moment, looked out over the large, crowded room, and thanked her mom, who traveled to Campbell to be with her graduating daughter.
Hockran talked about advocacy and a passion for advancing global health, for serving the underserved.
“Do not be complacent, and be an advocate for yourself and your communities and (for) every single person in this room,” she said.
Medical school Dean Dr. Brian Kessler opened the ceremony before handing the reins to Amritha Jacob, the Christian Medical and Dental Association President for the Class of 2025.
Jacob offered the invocation and blessing. “I want to bless you with the knowledge,” she said, “that God will always be with you.”
Dr. Shawn Hamm is the new physician in practice member, American Osteopathic Association board of trustees. Hamm said nearly 200,000 osteopathic physicians and medical students are bringing their unique approach toward caring for millions of patients across the nation and world.
The number of DOs in the U.S. has increased by some 70 percent over the past decade, Hamm said, citing the latest Osteopathic Medical Profession Report. This past spring the profession welcomed more than 8,000 new graduates, and nearly 40,000 osteopathic medical students are enrolled at 42 colleges of medicine across 67 campuses. DOs now make up 11 percent of the total physician population and 28 percent of all medical students in the US.
DOs, he said, hold some of the most distinguished positions in medicine today, caring for the current and past U.S. presidents, overseeing the NASA medical team and leading some of the nation’s top-ranked hospitals and health systems.
“Clearly, our profession is growing, expanding our reach,” Hamm said. “And it’s because of you that we will continue to have a lasting impact on our communities across the country.”
“Class of 2025, congratulations on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association and a vast network of osteopathic physicians that are here to support you,” Hamm said. “Clearly, our profession is growing, expanding our reach, and it’s because of you that we will continue to have a lasting impact on our communities across the country.”
Mark Montgomery, 2005 class president, also, like Hockran, reflected on the past four years. The challenges and struggles, the successes and accomplishments, all leading to the graduation ceremony Thursday, May 8.
“Now that the dust is settled, and we’ve had a moment to reflect, it’s clear just how much we’ve grown in these past four years,” Montgomery said. “As we prepare to go our separate ways, the shared experience of being a Campbell medical student will remain, (and) no matter where we go, we will carry those memories with us.”
Dr. David Tolentino, associate dean for Clinical Affairs, as well as staff and faculty, including Kessler, presented the awards, which included:
Distinguished Pre-Clinical Scholar Awards
The award is presented to a graduating student for superior performance in the first two years of medical school.
Bowman Wiseman
Overall Distinguished Clinical Scholar Awards
The award is presented to students who earned high recognition on their rotation evaluation in the respective discipline, have been evaluated by the rotation site as one of the top students, provided consistent and compassionate care to patients, were respectful and empowering to office and hospital staff, organized and participated in additional student activities, such as outreach programs appropriate to this specialty, and exemplified the osteopathic philosophy.
Emergency medicine
Kasci Pelucarte
Family Medicine
John Daniel
Geriatrics
Jamie Dyvig Crews
Internal medicine
Haneen Qunbar
Obstetrics and gynecology
Kelli Devlin
Pediatrics
Lysuelle Slaughter
Psychiatry
Christopher Penley
Surgery
Sophie Hockran
Distinguished Student of the Region Awards
Students receiving this award were evaluated by the rotation site as one of the top students, provided consistent compassionate care to patients, were respectful and empowering to office and hospital staff, organized and participated in additional student activities, such as outreach programs, and exemplified the osteopathic philosophy.
Lumberton
Emmet Nealon
Fayetteville
Aimee Dubin
Raleigh
Amritha Jacob
Harnett
Katie Atkinson
Salisbury
Aaron Zhang
Goldsboro
Jillian Miller
Morehead City
Helen Paglia
Smithfield
Jacob Boutros
Conway
Bethany Harting
Sanford
Bailey Pechner
Morganton
Christopher Penley
Global Health Award
The Global Health Award, presented to a student who demonstrated knowledge of the principles of global health who was involved in improving the lives of others through public health and international service, and an individual who is dedicated to moving the field of global health education forward.
Madelynn Fanning
Dr. Jerry M. Wallace Award
The Dr. Jerry M. Wallace Award, presented to a student who demonstrated knowledge of the principles of rural and underserved health and who was involved in improving the lives of others through public health and domestic activities. A student who also is dedicated to improving local community health and education.
Haywood Meeks
Student Research Awards
The Student Research Award, presented to a student who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to research during their medical training, as well as evidence of scholarly contribution through presentation or publication.
Brian Keith
Mark Sahyouni
Student Research of the Year Award
The Student Researcher of the Year Award, presented annually by the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents, a council of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, to student researchers who demonstrated excellence in their commitment to research during their medical school years. Each School or College of Osteopathic Medicine selects a school researcher, and these school winners go on to compete for the National SROY Award.
Mark Sahyouni
Dr. William F. Morris Award
The Dr. William F. Morris Award, presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated outstanding capacity to promote and integrate Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine in both the classroom and clinical setting and who showed the greatest promise of future success.
Sarah Fox
Student Doctor of the Year Award
Student Doctor of the Year Award, presented annually by the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents, a council of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, to outstanding students who demonstrated excellence in service to their medical school, leadership and research experiences and dedication to the osteopathic profession. Each School or College of Osteopathic Medicine selects a school student doctor of the year, and these school winners go on to compete for the national award.
Bethany Harting (Harting finished among the top-four national and received an Honorable Mention.)
Dean’s Award
The Dean’s Award, presented to a graduating student who displayed exceptional character in personal and professional conduct, maintained superior performance in the classroom and clinic, embodied the mission of the school, was a servant leader to their classmates and showed unusual promise for future contributions to the profession of osteopathic medicine.
Sophie Hockran
Preceptor of the Year Awards
The Preceptor of the Year Award, presented annually to an individual who consistently provided outstanding clinical instruction to medical school third- and fourth-year students. This award recognizes a preceptor who displayed a passion for teaching, a commitment to service and a dedication to the highest ethical standards.
Regional recipients:
Lumberton
Dr. Richard Johnson
Fayetteville
Dr. Michael Jones
Raleigh
Dr. Andrew Buzan
Harnett
Dr. Zachary Nevolo
Salisbury
Dr. Mark Inda
Goldsboro
Dr. Subodh Pal
Morehead City
Dr. Gary Belzberg
Smithfield
Dr. Zane Lapinskes
Conway
Dr. Srinivas Vuppala
Sanford
Dr. Michael Gillespie
Morganton
Dr. Shawn Hamm
Biomedical Faculty Award
The Biomedical Faculty Award is a student-elected award recognizing a biomedical faculty member who went above and beyond their responsibilities to ensure the success of students during the first two academic years of medical school. This award recognizes a biomedical faculty member who displayed a passion for teaching, a commitment to service and a dedication to the highest ethical standards.
Dr. Bonnie Brenseke, chair of Biomedical Pathology and associate professor of Pathology and Anatomy
Clinical Faculty Award
The Clinical Faculty Award, a student-elected award recognizing a med school clinical faculty member who went above and beyond their responsibilities to ensure the success of students. This award recognizes a clinical faculty member who displayed a passion for teaching, a commitment to service and a dedication to the highest ethical standards.
Dr. James Cappola, chair and associate professor of Internal Medicine
Outstanding Staff Award
The Outstanding Staff Award is a student-elected award recognizing a staff member who went above and beyond their responsibilities to ensure the success of students. The award recognizes a med school staff member who displayed a commitment to service and a dedication to the highest ethical standards.
Ashley Valley, assistant director of Clinical Affairs
Special recognition
Sigma Sigma Phi is a National Honorary Osteopathic Fraternity. The chapter at Campbell’s medical school, Chi Upsilon, focuses on academic excellence and community service. Members of Sigma Sigma Phi must maintain a GPA at or above 3.5 as well as receiving high pass or honors designations for all clinical rotations. Students must also complete 20 hours of community service their first and second years of medical school, and 10 hours each academic year of their third and fourth years. These graduates will wear the Sigma Sigma Phi honor cord during graduation:
Katherine Gamel Atkinson
William Robert Atkinson III
Rachel Berndsen
Ayarah Dharanikota
Madelynn Fanning
Claudia Foubert
Neil Mohan Harwani
Callie Nicole Herman
Sarah Grace Hunderup
Ashley Elizabeth Keane
Brian Andrew Keith
Padmaja Krishnan
Kylie Cecilia McCrary
Anna Renee McShea
Mark Montgomery
Clayton Moore
Savannah Rae Moran
Aashana Patel
Kasci Pelucarte
Komal Bakulkumar Rajpura
Mark Sahyouni
Racha Salha
Makenzie Tate
Maya Terry
Galen Robert Walter Chan Tim
Britton Upchurch
Jamison Kirk Walker
Katherine Zhou
Other groups recognized included: Community Care Clinic board members, students who have gone on a medical mission trip, student organization presidents and leadership, class officers and SGA officers, U.S. Military Health Professions Scholarship Program graduates and research summer scholars
Fun Facts for the Class of 2025:
Sixteen student doctors met their significant other while attending medical school.
Fourteen met their significant others at the med school.
Twenty-four were engaged during med school.
Nineteen were married during med school.
Ten had a baby — or babies — during med school.