Postbac Premed Program Class Day Celebrates 2010 Graduates

More than 70 graduates celebrated the completion of the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program at Class Day on May 17, 2010 in Low Memorial Library Rotunda.

May 20, 2010

Graduates were joined by members of the Columbia University Faculty of Arts and Sciences, School of General Studies administrators, family, friends, and classmates.

Honorees and their guests were formally welcomed by School of General Studies Dean Peter J. Awn who highlighted the importance of becoming a well-rounded physician, particularly at this moment of historical change in health care.

The welcome was followed by the keynote address given by Dr. Judith Tanenbaum ’83PBPM, a clinical assistant attending psychiatrist at New York Presbyterian Hospital and a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College. In her address, Tanenbaum recalled the years of self-doubt she had about her ability to become a physician. It wasn’t until she was completing a Certificate in Child Health at the University of Colorado Health Science Center, surrounded by doctors and medical students, that she realized she could pursue her dream of becoming a psychiatrist.

Tanenbaum, who credits the Postbac Premed Program as the launching pad for her career in medicine, is the benefactor of the Phyllis M. Kippur Memorial and William A. and Dr. Judith H. Tanenbaum Family Scholarship for the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program.

The keynote address was followed by a presentation of the graduates, each of whom were individually congratulated by faculty members, administrators, and Dr. Tanenbaum.

A highlight of the ceremony was the student address entitled "The Real Postbacs of Columbia University,” given by Michael Shamoon, formerly a graphic designer with one of Scotland’s leading advertising agencies who went on to establish a branch in New York City. Shamoon playfully used reality television to illustrate the nuances of being a Postbac Premed student at Columbia.

To close the ceremony, Victoria Rosner, Associate Dean of the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program, congratulated graduates and thanked all those who supported Postbac students throughout their tenure at Columbia University.