Resilience, Valor, and Unity: Welcoming the Newest Student Doctors

“This is a new reality and you are part of that; we are relying on you to take us to that future.” With equal parts somberness for the current public health crisis and optimism for a brighter future, Clinton E. Adams, DO, FACHE, President and CEO, welcomed the RVUCOM Class of 2024 to Rocky Vista University. “We are going to get you through this on time and probably with more skills—from a learning aspect and from a team-based aspect—than we’ve ever had before. That is what you’re going to need to survive in the new millennium of healthcare delivery.”

Because of the online nature of this year’s Orientation, students at both the Colorado and Utah campuses oriented together for the first time. “Adversity has brought us together,” said Thomas N. Told, DO, FACOFP dist., Dean of RVUCOM. Together, the students learned about available resources, support systems, curriculum, policies, and what to expect from their first year at RVUCOM. On the final day, students visited their respective campuses to pick up materials and visit the labs.

“Our Orientation theme is Resilience, Valor, and Unity,” explained Zeerak Haider, PhD, Director of Student Life and Special Events (CO). “Our greatest hope and intention for you this year is that you build resilience through consistent self-reflection, that you realize that valor comes not from avoiding fear but metabolizing it and that in unity there is strength.”