SIU Medicine Class of 2026 begins training
Authorities have long anticipated the U.S. would face a shortage of physicians as the Baby Boomer generation aged and outpaced medical school graduates. The warnings have become more dire as COVID-19 induces the nation’s aging physician workforce to consider early retirement or at least significantly reduce its workload.
Medical schools like Southern Illinois University School of Medicine have taken a first step in addressing the shortage by expanding the overall number of medical students enrolled in their institutions. In 2020, SIU increased its enrollment to include eight additional students within the new Lincoln Scholars Program, designed to train rural health specialists.
A White Coat ceremony on August 12 celebrated the new students in the Class of 2026 who have begun pursuing medical degrees to care for the people of central and southern Illinois and beyond.
During the ceremony, students receive their symbolic white coats in Carbondale’s Shryock Auditorium to begin their journeys to become physicians. The learners spend the first year of training on the Carbondale campus and years 2-4 in Springfield. Lincoln Scholars students will spend all four years downstate.
SIU Medicine Dean and Provost Jerry Kruse, MD, MSPH, SIU System President Daniel Mahony, PhD, and Wendi El-Amin, MD, associate dean for equity, diversity and inclusion, delivered remarks to the group. Matt Winkleman, MD, Class of 2002 and president of the school’s Alumni Society Board of Governors, and Amanda Mulch, MD, Class of 2003 and the new Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, presented white coats to the students on behalf of the Alumni Society.
Debra Klamen, MD, MHPE, senior associate dean for education and curriculum and chair of the Department of Medical Education at SIU Medicine, led the students in reading the Physician’s Pledge.
The keynote speaker was Haneme Idrizi, MD, Class of 2003 and the new associate dean for student affairs and admissions at the school of medicine. In her talk, Dr. Idrizi spoke of her memories of being a non-traditional, first-generation college student and recalled her feelings of self-doubt as she strove for perfection in medical school. She knows this is all-to-common among medical students.
“One thing that the COVID pandemic and its emotional toll has taught me is that this lack of self-compassion is not only unhealthy, it is dangerous,” she said. “During the hardest moments over the next four years, I need you to remember to be kind to yourself. It’s the lessons that you glean from these experiences and the understanding you show yourself that allow you to grow and become content in your careers.”
The White Coat Ceremony is designed to establish a commitment to professionalism and empathy in medicine and takes place at most U.S. medical schools each fall. In his welcome to the class, Dr. Kruse emphasized that the coat is not intended to be a status symbol. “This is not something that separates us from others. It’s a symbol of our responsibility to them, ... to partner with our patients to help them make the best decisions.”
Established in 1970, SIU School of Medicine is based in Springfield and Carbondale and focused on the health care needs of downstate Illinois. It educates physicians to practice in Illinois communities and has graduated more than 3,163 physicians since the first class in 1975.
View the ceremony on YouTube.
Photos of the students are available upon request.
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Class of 2026 students, hometowns & parents/spouse, grouped by regions:
CENTRAL ILLINOIS
Jennifer Barnes Normal John and Terri Barnes + spouse Ed Shafer
Jackson Blough Springfield Brandon Blough and Jennifer Farnsworth
Oliver Caldwell Springfield Troy Caldwell and Terri Caldwell
Anna Carter Springfield Marc and Lisa Carter
Kyle Cole Decatur Todd and Jennifer Cole
Devin Compton Chatham Scott and Tammy Compton
Cameron Conklin Chillicothe Chad and Dahla Conklin
Noah Drewes Springfield Brian and Kimberly Drewes
Emily Fahey Peoria Kevin and Molly Fahey
Juliana Guaglianone Decatur Perry Guaglianone and Mary McGrath
Hendrick Hamilton Pawnee Brad and Teresa Hamilton
Matthew Hoelscher Eureka Brian and Nancy Hoelscher
Victoria Hollinshead Springfield Frank and Kim Hollinshead
Hannah Johnson Morton Bradley and Kara Johnson
Alexandra Karras Sherman Peter and Victoria Karras
Imadh Khan Peoria Asif and Shazia Khan + spouse Samia Abdul-Qadir
Kyle Kieffer Chatham Tony and Susan Kieffer
Shea Lanier Springfield Larry Lanier and Linda Lanier
Yixuan Ma Springfield Jianjun Ma and Wei Du
Allison Mool Sherman Robert and Deanna Mool
Jessica Rajkumar Morton Christopher and Supriya Rajkumar + spouse Braden Bisping
Bailey Stauffer Virden Randy and Gayle Stauffer
Zelinda Taylor Springfield William and Judith Taylor
Kyra Webster Springfield Louis and Stephanie Webster
EASTERN IL
Blaine Baer Oreana John and Krystal
Connie Bao Mahomet Shiping Bao and Xiaoyun Wu
Barrett Beesley Effingham Bradley and Cynthia Beesley
Zachary Bennett Charleston Steve and Wendy Bennett
Connor Cavanaugh Georgetown Joshua and Amy Cavanaugh + spouse Rachel Cavanaugh
Yousef Elhalees Champaign Walid and Barihan Alemleh
Samuel Fisher Normal Charles Fisher and Susan Sprecher
Raya Gandhi Champaign Aashish and Rachel Gandhi
Carly Goben Normal Phil and Denise Goben
Murtaza Jatoi Forsyth Naeemuddin Jatoi and Farah Mansoori
Lauren Kee Bourbonnais Scott and Donna Kee
Savannah Kidd Bloomington David and Diane Kidd
Sarah Lee Champaign Jae and Helen Lee
Brock Lynn Bloomington Jeff Lynn and Michelle Lynn
Christopher Rossi Bloomington Dr. Phillip and Dr. Vera Rossi
Marcus Steffen Bloomington Cennert and Varpu Steffen + spouse Emily Fisher
SOUTHERN IL
Katie Ayres Edwardsville Dr. Robert and Janet Ayres
Alyssa Dollison O'Fallon Erik and Twana Dollison
Mara Downing Troy Toby and Ranita Keller
Lauren Garbe Dieterich Michael and Gail Garbe
James Hillard Robinson Jeff and Shelly Hillard
Trisha Nair Mt. Vernon Dr. Sudeep and Priya Nair
Parth Patel Collinsville Pragnesh and Mina Patel
Elizabeth Portugal O'Fallon Michael and Cheryl Sommer + spouse Aileen Portugal
Jenna Ribbing Anna William and Sheryl Ribbing
Jacob Schmid Marion Chad Schmid and Holly Sonnenberg
Hannah Schmidt Bethalto Greg and Heather Schmidt
Amber Schwertman Edwardsville Christopher and Karie Schwertman
Brianna Sexton Belleville Robert Sexton and Tanya Sherwood + spouse Alexander Barry
Madelyn Skinner Belleville Greg and Susan Skinner
Ireland Smith East Alton Christopher Smith and Carla Smith
Madison Stacey O’Fallon Tim and Pam Stacey
Nicholas Stevenson Belleville Nicholas and Lisa Stevenson
Zoe Weld O’Fallon Matthew and Martha Weld
Micaylen Wolf Harrisburg Melinda Wolf and the late Robert Wolf
NORTHERN IL
Olayemi Adebayo Chicago Temitope and Tessy Adebayo
Ted Amadi Chicago Ted and Rita Amadi
Alana Goodson Mundelein Sabrina and Christine Kilar
Justin Harris Matteson William Harris and Angela Woolfolk
Kamil Hester Chicago Kamau Hester and Yolanda Carter-Hester
Virginia Kreckman Mendota John and Kristin Kreckman
Jenna Lee Rockford Jay and Sherry Lee
Kevin Lu Peru Min Lu and Shu Huang
Skylar Ozoh Chicago Nnamdi Ozoh and Lynnette Wilson
Nana Quainoo Chicago John Willington Quainoo and Nana Ama Yeboah
John Salazar Orland Park John and Linda Salazar
Kyle Struck Orland Park Ray and Kelly Struck
WESTERN IL
Georgia Graham Ursa Daniel and Kimberly Graham
Nina Tran Moline Minh Tran, Thuy Tran and Dan Terry
OUT OF STATE
Temitope Adeleke Prince George County, MD Dotun and Lola Adeleke
Diandra Donkor Bronx, NY Gabriel and Grace Barnieh
Charles Hughes Macon, MS Nathaniel and Gwendolyn Hughes
Afamefuna Maduka Alpharetta, GA Bruce and Isabella Maduka
Carlos Marmolejo Homestead, FL Carlos Marmolejo and Mirley Serna + spouse Laura Valentina Serna
Aungelique McGhee Atlanta, GA Todd McGhee and Lisa Moye
Justine Newman Glenmoore, PA Lee and Jennifer Newman
Roxanne Okeke Las Vegas, NV Charles and Nicole Okeke
David Salami Ibadan, Nigeria Olalekan and Ebunoluwa Salami + spouse Tishauna Edwards
Shadia Sekle Charlotte, NC Patrick Sekle and Shirley Sekle
Evelyn Veliz Brooklyn, NY Pedro and Dolores Veliz
