WVU School of Medicine holds event for the Spring 2025 GHHS inductees
The West Virginia University School of Medicine recently hosted an event to honor the most recent cohort of the Gold Humanism Honors Society inductees on Saturday, April 26 at the Health Sciences Center in Morgantown.
GHHS is a national honor society that honors senior medical students, residents, role-model physician teachers and other exemplars recognized for demonstrated excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication to service. GHHS was founded by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation for Humanism in Medicine, which champions compassionate, collaborative and scientifically excellent care.
WVU’s chapter was established in 2008 by six faculty members with histories of exceptional service to the school and West Virginia as a whole. They continue to emphasize this mission with each new cohort.
Ryan McCarthy, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Medicine and WVU School of Medicine alumnus, served as the keynote speaker for the event. Dr. McCarthy spoke about the importance of compassion in clinical practice and the deeper responsibility physicians carry.
“In a world where the pace of medicine is quick and the demands are high, humanism is what grounds us,” McCarthy said. “It’s what allows us to build trust, offer hope, and remind our patients, and ourselves, that we are more than just our diagnoses.”
Kate Gelman, GHHS student president and one of this year’s inductees, also spoke during the ceremony. She acknowledged the personal and professional journeys of her fellow students and encouraged them to hold tightly to their empathy as future physicians.
“This group of students has gotten through three years of rigorous medical training and emerged as compassionate healers – people their patients and classmates look to as examples of caring and humanity,” Gelman said. “Fellow students, whatever you did to get here, don’t lose that. Never stop forming true connections and engagement with your patients, for that is what will keep you fulfilled. The world needs more compassion. The world needs your compassion.”
“At the heart of great medicine is compassion, the kind that not only shapes how we care for patients, but also how we lead, teach and support one another,” Chief Academic Officer and Vice Dean for Medical Education Norman Ferrari, M.D., said. “The Gold Humanism Honor Society celebrates those values in action, and I’m proud to see our students recognized for embodying empathy, integrity and service in everything they do.”
This year’s inductees include:
Students
- Brianna Caison
- Michelle Coleman
- Emma Coyne
- Nicholas Coyne
- Julia Deziel
- Ashley Eby
- Zachary Ecker
- Fallon Gallimore
- Kate Gelman
- Katheryn Gerbo
- Michael Grimm
- Hayley Harmon
- Kent Marshall
- Vincent Melemai
- Obadah Tolaymat
Residents
- Dr. Katherine Shephard
- Dr. Sheylan Spencer (Charleston)
Faculty
- Dr. James Campbell (Charleston)
- Dr. Kathy Moffett
To learn more about the GHHS and the other organizations available to WVU School of Medicine students, visit medicine.wvu.edu/md-student-services/organizations.