Seventy-one new physicians have graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield.

Commencement exercises for the 29th graduating class of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine took place this past Saturday (May 17) in Springfield. Keynote speaker Dr. Abraham Verghese, (Ver-geese') director of the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and author of two nationally known books. He offered advice to the Class of 2003, who used his books in their studies.

SOUND BITE: "I think commencement and graduation is a transcendent moment . . . you formed a dream of becoming a physician and you held on to that dream through high school, through college, and perhaps you were moved in that direction because of a personal experience of suffering or because of a wonderful example. . . . Today represents this wonderful coming together of your dream and reality."

Dr. Verghese told the new physicians that the public's growing dissatisfaction with doctors can be reversed if physicians remember "the voice of the patients" as well as the "voice of medicine." He encouraged them to be more empathetic and compassionate and to take care of the "patient" as well as the "disease." He saluted the Class in their new role as "ministers of healing."

SOUND BITE: ". . . there is an important distinction between 'cure' which you will provide to so many patients and 'healing.' . . . There are going to be many patients, especially as you get older and your patients get older, for whom you cannot provide a 'cure', but you can 'heal.'"

Dr. Verghese suggested the way new doctors can heal their patients is to imagine their suffering and reaching out to them across traditional boundaries. The new SIU physicians will begin their residency training in their chosen specialty fields in July. Nearly half of them will continue their training in primary care.