Mentor and Beaumont psychiatrist Dr. Varsha Karamchandani, left, fits Elizabeth White with her white coat. Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine will graduate its first class Thursday. White is among the 47 students who make up the first class.(Photo: Oakland University) <\/p>\n
A video about a then-nonexistent school led Elizabeth White to Oakland University in 2011. <\/p>\n
Now White is among 47 students who will receive their diplomas this afternoon as the first class to graduate from the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. It's Michigan's first new medical school since Michigan State University started its medical school nearly 50 years ago. <\/p>\n
White, originally from Jackson, enrolled at the University of Notre Dame for her undergraduate degree thinking she was heading into a career in business. Then she volunteered in a hospital maternity wing, working in the nursery. <\/p>\n
\"It really inspired me,\" she said, \"especially the opportunity to help people in their moments of greatest need.\" <\/p>\n
White had always enjoyed science and math, but had never really thought of medicine until then. She switched to pre-med, and as she moved closer to graduation, she started to look for a place to go to medical school. <\/p>\n
That led her to the new school then being started at Oakland University. <\/p>\n
\"I was really inspired by Dean (Robert) Folberg's video on how you teach doctors how to be kind,\" she said. <\/p>\n
White was among 3,200 applicants for the first class in 2011. She wasn't deterred by the school being new. <\/p>\n
\"Of course you have the risks of what if it doesn't go through, but I was really comfortable with the leadership,\" White said. \"With a new school you get the chance to change the things that are hard to change at legacy schools.\" <\/p>\n
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Oakland University graduates first medical school students<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mentor and Beaumont psychiatrist Dr. Varsha Karamchandani, left, fits Elizabeth White with her white coat. Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine will graduate its first class Thursday. Continue reading