Graduation

Andy's Emergency Medicine Site

Graduation

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May 22, 2003 - The Long Coat Ceremony
May 23, 2003 - Graduation

My classmates and I had a special ceremony for completing the long road leading to graduation. After a minimum of four years of college and four years of medical school, we were about to graduate. One of the defining symbols of a doctor is the long white coat. We were proud to have our closest friends and family present while we received our long white coats.

Below are some photos of The Long Coat Ceremony.

While waiting for things to get started, we did the photo thing along with one hundred plus other graduates and their families. There were so many flashes going off in the hallway leading to the banquet area, it's amazing no one had a photo-flash induced seizure.

Anxiously waiting for the start with the Fam

While I was excited so many of my family and friends were able to come to Jackson, I was most excited about CC being there. The night would not have been the same without all of my girls being there with me. She had to make a special effort to be with us since she is still working in North Carolina (click on the CC and Me tab.)

DGA and CC

We had a very nice meal and listened to various speakers talk about our accomplishments and the trip we took together through medical school. During our meal we watched a slide show consisting of four or five pictures that each of us had turned in. I was glad so many of my family and friends had shown up so I could hide my nervousness by moving around talking to them.

Mom and Dad and "Fred"

Dad and "Fred"

Me and Sis

I told you I was nervous. I programmed the wrong month on the camera.

JC and KT

Maw and Paw-in-Law

No Tap and The Teacher

Jedi and AW and Son of

My former Paramedic Partner and

Donna's Bowling/Slot Machine playing buddy.

I would say, after we had all received our Long Coats, we started the photo taking again. But, we were much too excited to wait on one hundred plus graduates to get their coats. So, since I was one of the first to get their coat (nice to have your name starting with an "A"), I was also one of the first to start posing with my new long coat. There were a lot of smiles and a lot of proud people assembled together that night. Here are some more photos.

Me and CC

The Fam with the new Doctor

New entry in Webster's next to "Proud Parents"

We have come a long way from the

Meridian Jaycees haunted House.

There were some proud In-Laws there also.

Of course, my Clowns couldn't pass up a photo op.

The next Charlie's Angels

The Graduate

The Long Coat Ceremony was May 22, 2003, which was the Thursday night before graduation. Friday, May 23, 2003, was graduation. This was the day we received the diplomas to go along with our new coats.Below are some photos from graduation.

My Baby, with me always.

My Girls

With Diploma in hand, it's all smiles.

With Mom and Dad

Dr. and Mrs. A. Anderson

It's thumbs up because, WE MADE IT!!!!

With Sis, JC, and "Fred"

It has been a long and at times tiring path that I have completed. I started off as a Paramedic who kept wanting to do more. I had to repeat all of my undergraduate work while continuing to work 24-hour shifts for Metro.

Then, I had to live apart from DGA and KT for four years while going to medical school. At last, we will be together again. DGA and KT will be moving to Jackson to be with me while I complete my residency training.

While I have received my "Me Doctor" degree, I'm still a novice in caring for people. My residency training will give me an opportunity to continue to expand my knowledge base and develop the necessary skills I will need to be an effective ER doctor.

From what I have seen and heard, residency training can be much more stressful than medical school. However, having DGA and KT with me, I think it will actually be less stressful for me.

I will try and keep everyone posted of what I am doing when I start my residency training.

I would like to thank everyone who has supported me with advice, e-mails, jokes, and prayers over the years. You all made a difficult situation that much more tolerable. I am going to ask everyone to continue supporting me as I enter into my residency program.

Metro Ambulance C-Shift

Never stop reaching for your dreams.

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