RUSM makes history by awarding medical doctor degree to 10,000th student

History was made at the Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) commencement ceremony on June 14 when the School's 10,000^th graduate was awarded a medical degree. The graduation was held at the Bank United Center in Coral Gables, Fla.

“But it felt good to be part of a team saving lives. This was the moment when all the hard work and long hours you have spent getting there really made sense.”

One alumnus, keynote speaker Dr. Oleg Gusakov ('05), shared his experience treating victims after the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15. Following his first instinct, the off-duty anesthesiologist rushed to Boston Medical Center, where he works, to join the healthcare team helping victims. "It looked like a war zone," he said. "But it felt good to be part of a team saving lives. This was the moment when all the hard work and long hours you have spent getting there really made sense."

Dr. Gusakov, 35, a native of Latvia, graduated from RUSM with high honors. He is an instructor of anaesthesiology at the Boston University School of Medicine and the clinical director of the Menino Pavilion, department of anesthesiology, at Boston Medical Center.

In the Class of 2013 approximately 1,100 students were eligible to graduate, and about 600 participated in the event, representing 44 U.S. states, seven Canadian provinces, and dozens of countries of origin.

Dr. Joseph A. Flaherty, dean and chancellor of RUSM, told the graduates, "You are a class of achievers, of resilience, of true grit; you are the doctors who will go the extra mile and will sit down and talk to your patients and their families. You are the wave of the future of medicine -- as medicine becomes increasingly more scientific and technical, it will require a more personal and humane group of practitioners. That is the wealth of diversity and experience that you bring."

RUSM students begin their journey to become physicians on the school's campus in Dominica, located in the West Indies. Students complete a rigorous program of study in the basic sciences. The campus features a cutting-edge anatomy and medical imaging laboratory, as well as a simulation center where students begin to develop clinical skills. Students then complete their medical education by taking core and elective clinical rotations in teaching hospitals primarily in the United States.

For the 2012-13 academic year, more than 740 RUSM graduates obtained residency appointments in the U.S. and Canada, a record number for the school. RUSM students also achieved a 96 percent first-time pass rate on Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, based on institutional reporting for the calendar year 2012.

In an effort to continually enhance the experience of its doctors-in-training, RUSM is moving forward with the implementation of a multi-million dollar campus master plan. This includes a 47,500-square-foot student center on the Dominica campus, which will house a library, study space and other rooms for teaching and learning. It will be the most prominent building on campus. RUSM will also construct a new preparatory school and day care facility in the coming year.