The newly accredited NYU Long Island School of Medicine opened its doors to its first class of students this week, welcoming a new generation of aspiring physicians in an inaugural White Coat Ceremony—an emotionally moving rite of passage for students entering medical schools the world over. Of note, this year’s ceremony marked the official kick-off of New York University’s flagship medical school on Long Island—a school offering full-tuition scholarships with an innovative, accelerated three-year curriculum exclusively devoted to training primary care physicians.

“NYU Long Island School of Medicine is the realization of a bold vision to make medical school attainable—without financial hardship—to attract the brightest and best students from diverse walks of life into the medical profession,” says Andrew Hamilton, president of New York University. “Our inaugural White Coat Ceremony is an important milestone as our new students journey toward becoming outstanding primary care physicians who we hope will one day serve the regional area.”

NYU Long Island School of Medicine received more than 2,400 applications for the 24 available slots this year. It has already begun recruiting for next year’s class, which will include 32 students. The year following, the class size will expand to 40 students and be capped at that number in subsequent years.

NYU Long Island School of Medicine’s White Coat Ceremony

The inaugural White Coat ceremony included each of the 24 new students reciting a version of the Hippocratic Oath—acknowledging their commitment to serving humanity with honor, compassion, and dignity, after which a white medical coat was draped upon each student’s shoulders. The event took place at NYU Winthrop Hospital, in a beautiful, new contemporary-designed space. During the ceremony, students were surrounded by family and friends, as well as school leadership and faculty.

Speakers of note included: Steven B. Abramson, MD, chief academic officer of NYU Langone Health; Gladys M. Ayala, MD, MPH, senior associate dean for medical education of NYU Long Island School of Medicine; John F. Collins, president and chief executive officer of NYU Winthrop Hospital; Andrew Hamilton, PhD, president of New York University; Kenneth G. Langone, chair of the board of trustees of NYU Langone Health; Steven Shelov, MD, MS, founding dean and chief academic officer of NYU Long Island School of Medicine; and Deepan Singh, MD, associate dean, students and diversity of NYU Long Island School of Medicine.

New York University’s Flagship Medical School on Long Island

NYU Long Island School of Medicine is the second medical school to open under the auspices of NYU. Additionally, full-tuition scholarships were offered to all students at NYU Long Island School of Medicine, regardless of merit or financial need. The new school’s curriculum, with its primary care focus, will concentrate on internal and community medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and general surgery, as compared to more traditional four-year schools that tend to focus on other specialties. All students are offered a conditional acceptance to an NYU Winthrop Hospital residency slot upon matriculation; it is believed that NYU Long Island School of Medicine is the only school in the nation to offer such a conditional guarantee.

“In the decade ahead, there is expected to be a significant shortage of primary care physicians nationwide. NYU Long Island School of Medicine hopes to inspire its graduates to help fill that void in the New York metro area and on Long Island,” says Dr. Steven Abramson. NYU Long Island School of Medicine also offers an accelerated three-year curriculum, allowing physicians to get into the field of their choice earlier, during their most productive years, and with less debt. “The tuition-free initiative, along with the three-year curriculum, are critical milestones in transforming medical education and addressing the dramatic changes in the healthcare delivery system,” says Dr. Abramson.

To sustain its full-tuition scholarship initiative, NYU Long Island School of Medicine will follow the landmark model created at NYU School of Medicine when it became the first major medical school in the United States to offer full-tuition scholarships to all enrolled MD program students. NYU School of Medicine’s initiative is supported by philanthropy; NYU Long Island School of Medicine will adopt the same approach to fund its students.

Incoming Class of NYU Long Island School of Medicine

The incoming students at NYU Long Island School of Medicine come from all over the country, including the tristate area (including one from Mineola) to Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, and beyond; and from top universities including Harvard University, Duke University, Vassar College, and NYU, as well as schools in the SUNY system—including Binghamton University and Stony Brook University. Nine incoming students are male and 15 are female, the latter including 2 nurses (one of whom is a U.S. Air Force veteran) who decided to become physicians. Students come from all different backgrounds; one shared a story about how her Nigerian parents inspired her to become a primary care physician so that she could give back.

“The students in our inaugural class are among our physician leaders of the future, and many overcame remarkable odds to get where they are today,” says Dr. Steven Shelov. “We’re proud to be stewarding them toward their goals of becoming primary care physicians. Our exceptional clinical curriculum will be further enhanced by very strong mentorships from school leadership and faculty.”

About New York University

Founded in 1831, NYU is one of the world’s foremost research universities and is a member of the selective Association of American Universities. NYU has degree-granting university campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai; has eleven other global academic sites, including London, Paris, Florence, Tel Aviv, Buenos Aires, and Accra; and both sends more students to study abroad and educates more international students than any other U.S. college or university. Through its numerous schools and colleges, NYU is a leader in conducting research and providing education in the arts and sciences, engineering, law, medicine, business, dentistry, education, nursing, the cinematic and performing arts, music and studio arts, public administration, social work, and professional studies, among other areas.

About NYU Winthrop Hospital

NYU Winthrop Hospital is the Long Island affiliate of NYU Langone Health and is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 10 New York metro area hospitals. The hospital was founded in 1896 by local physicians and concerned citizens and is now a 591-bed medical academic center and ACS Level 1 Trauma Center. The hospital features more than 75 divisions of specialty care, offering comprehensive inpatient and outpatient programs and services to address every stage of life. NYU Winthrop Hospital also has a research institute that conducts robust research and studies that are helping to shape the future of medicine. The hospital, with ties to New York University, blends the progressive philosophy and advances of a teaching and research institution with a personal approach to patient care that is the cornerstone of the organization.

NYU Winthrop Hospital has a long history of educational programs at all levels of the medical education continuum, from undergraduate education to residencies and fellowships, and is actively engaged in current, evidence-based medical education.

Media Inquiries

Anne Kazel-Wilcox
Phone: 516-663-4999
anne.kazel@nyulangone.org

Allison Clair
Phone: 212-404-3753
allison.clair@nyulangone.org