Contact:
NYU Langone Medical Center
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
212-404-3555

                       
GOVERNOR PATERSON ADDRESSES NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE’S GRADUATING CLASS AFTER RECEIVING PRESIDENTIAL CITATION FROM NYU’S JOHN SEXTON

NEW YORK, May 16, 2008 -- New York State Governor David A. Paterson received a Presidential Citation from New York University President John Sexton before delivering the commencement address for the 154-member class of 2008 at New York University School of Medicine’s Commencement, Thursday, May 15th, at Avery Fisher Hall.

Governor Paterson, who was introduced by Robert I. Grossman, M.D., dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center, announced a second wave of grants under the Empire State Stem Cell initiative he championed as Lieutenant Governor, the plan to provide health insurance for every child in New York State starting next year, and a program that will allow young physicians to reduce their medical school debt by practicing in underserved areas. Other speakers included Martin Lipton, chairman of New York University’s board of trustees, Ken Langone, chairman of the board of trustees at the NYU Langone Medical Center, President Sexton, and Dean Grossman.   

NYU School of Medicine Class of 2008
The class of 2008 comprises 154 students from 23 countries, 27 states, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Almost the entire class participated in independent research during medical school:   23 completed a full year of research under the auspices of such prestigious programs as the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship and the Luce Fellowship for Language Study, as well as the National Institutes of Health.   Twelve pursued an additional degree, including five in MPH. programs and seven in the Medical Scientist Training Program, leading to a combined M.D./Ph.D. Eleven received degrees with honors. The most popular specialty was internal medicine/primary care, followed by pediatrics, anesthesiology, diagnostic radiology and general surgery. Of the 154 graduates, 24 will remain at NYU for their residency, and nearly 84 percent received appointments at the top 50 medical schools.

                                                       ###