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At the request of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Class of 2025, John Schriner, associate dean of admissions, took the stage as keynote speaker during commencement. His final words of advice to the soon-to-be physicians: be a hero to your patients, and don’t forget all the people who helped you along the way in your career.

Schriner, who retires at the end of June after nearly 30 years at the Heritage College, has long been the first voice students hear offering acceptance into the college. During his time at the medical school, he has helped to select and usher through nearly 30 classes and more than 3,500 graduates.

“I’m just some humble, hardworking kid from the west side of Cleveland that happened to find his way, albeit unknown at the time, into my dream job back in 1996,” said Schriner. He noted that as he was thinking about what to say during his keynote speech, the many people who have inspired and guided him throughout his career came to mind. He pointed out the same is true for our Class of 2025: that faculty, staff, classmates, best friends, family and loved ones have played a role in helping the graduates make it to today.

“They have been the strength and encouragement that complemented your efforts on your journey,” said Schriner.

He reflected on the many challenges the Class of 2025 faced, beginning with starting medical school in the midst of a pandemic. This meant the class experienced many of medical school’s significant milestones in a unique way. They interviewed with the college virtually, and for their white coat ceremony, they wore masks and stood six feet apart at small campus gatherings.

“Your ability to be flexible and adaptable enabled you to succeed and move forward in your training,” said Schriner. “Those traits will serve you well on the next leg of your journey.”

As they move forward in their career, Schriner asked graduates to be heroes for their patients, and remember that even though they may have seen 39 patients that day, they will be the first doctor their 40th patient will see that day.

“You’ll see patients at their most vulnerable moments and times when maybe they’ve given up hope. They’re looking for someone that will help them, someone that will listen to them and act in their best interests as they seek healing. This is your time to step up and be their hero,” said Schriner. “A hero embodies the qualities of respect, honesty, integrity, humility and doing the right thing, being a role model. Embrace this mindset and spirit. Embrace these qualities every day, and yes, you’ll be a hero.”

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This spring, 237 students graduated, with 54 being the first in their families to become a physician. Of the graduating class, 51 percent will pursue a primary care specialty and 65 percent will stay in Ohio for residency.

Molly Frey, the student speaker for the ceremony who served as the national Student Government Association representative and SGA president on the Dublin campus, asked students to think back to the moment they wanted to become a doctor.

“And then came that phone call, the one from Dr. Schriner. The moment you found you were accepted into OU-HCOM. That call changed everything. In an instant, years of hard work, sacrifice and dreaming came together in a single, life-changing moment. But it wasn’t the finish line. It was the first step.”

Frey talked about how meeting patients and hearing their stories further shaped their reasons for becoming a physician and how moments to come will define their legacy in medicine.

“While I can’t tell you what each of our journeys will look like, I can tell you what I’ve seen in this class: I’ve seen resilience in the face of adversity. Grit when things got hard. Fierce advocacy for our patients and our peers. A commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. A refusal to remain silent when change was needed. And through it all, a shared humor that strengthened our bonds and helped us to find joy even in the most challenging moments,” said Frey. “These are the values that will carry us forward into different specialties, cities and health systems. Into moments that will test us and transform us.” 

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Frey asked graduates to hold true to three guiding principles: let compassion lead their care, let humility define their practice and let equity shape their impact.

“Our journey as medical students may be ending, but our impact as physicians is just beginning. Let us go forward with hearts full of gratitude, hands ready to heal and minds open to the moments yet to come,” said Frey.

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