Brody welcomes Class of 2014
Brody Scholars, from left, Stephanie Carrier, Stephanie Maxwell and Nicole Merli pose with Carole Novick, president of the ECU Medical & Health Sciences Foundation. Photo by Cliff Hollis
GREENVILLE, N.C. — The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University welcomed 78 new medical students last week.
The 39 men and 39 women in the Class of 2014 range in age from 20 to 36. As usual, they are all North Carolina residents, with 32 counties of residence listed. They received their undergraduate degrees from 31 different colleges and universities, with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill having the most graduates, 20. ECU has 12 alumni in the class, and North Carolina State University has 11.
At Friday’s white coat ceremony, Dr. Keith Nelson, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, told the new medical students to remember their humanity while learning and as they move into patient care. “Let your patients know you care even when you can’t help,” he said.
The class also includes three Brody Scholars, Stephanie Carrier and Stephanie Maxwell of Raleigh and Nicole Merli of Greenville. The scholarship program pays tuition and living expenses and encourages participants to design their own summer enrichment program that can include travel abroad.
Maxwell probably spoke for many of her classmates when she said: “At this point, I’m nervous but excited. I think it’s a good mix.”
The Brody Scholars program honors J. S. “Sammy” Brody, who died in 1994. He and his brother, Leo, were among the earliest supporters of medical education in eastern North Carolina. The legacy continues through the dedicated efforts of Hyman Brody and David Brody. Subsequent gifts through the Brody Foundation have enabled the medical school to educate new physicians, conduct important research and improve health care in eastern North Carolina.
The scholarship is administered through the ECU Medical & Health Sciences Foundation.
The symbolic white coats are a gift to class members from the Brody School of Medicine Alumni Society, said Karen Cobb, director of development for the foundation. Participating alumni were given note cards to write a personal note to their students, and the cards were placed in the pockets of each coat.