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Seventy-two members of East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine celebrated commencement on Friday, May 9, closing a milestone chapter in their journey to become physicians before they head off for residency placements across the country this summer.

Overall, members of the Class of 2025 will travel to residency programs in 24 states, with 25 of them remaining in Tennessee. Of those staying in the Volunteer State, 13 will complete their residency with ETSU Health.

Roughly half of the class will remain in Tennessee, North Carolina or Virginia. The Class of 2025 is also reflective of the college’s commitment to primary care, with about half entering primary care-related specialties.

In 2025, the Quillen College of Medicine earned a “Tier 1” (top 16 in the nation) designation for primary care in U.S. News & World Report’s “2025 Best Medical Schools: Primary Care” ranking.

“Commencement is one of the most memorable days on our calendar, and today was no exception,” said Dr. Bill Block, dean of the Quillen College of Medicine and ETSU vice president for clinical affairs. “Though we will miss our students, it is always an exciting moment to see them cross the stage, knowing they will be outstanding physicians wherever they are headed.”

Dr. Jenn Whittington, an alumna of ETSU and the Quillen College of Medicine, was the guest speaker. She is currently an assistant professor of surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center and works at Elmhurst Hospital Center in New York City, where she serves as director of the Hepatic Artery Infusion Program and director of the Pancreatitis Service Line.

Whittington, a Virginia native and four-year member of the ETSU track and field team, received her undergraduate degree from ETSU and graduated from medical school at Quillen. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Kentucky and her complex general surgical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Brennan McNeil of Nashville was the class speaker. McNeil will complete his residency in internal medicine at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown in Nashville.

On Thursday night, the college recognized its student award winners in a ceremony at the Blackthorn Club.

Creighton Kellum received the Dean’s Distinguished Student Honor Award for demonstrating superb clinical skills and the potential for becoming an excellent physician.

The Leonard Tow Humanism Award was presented to Myron Sailors. Sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, this award is presented to the student, as judged by peers, who consistently demonstrates compassion and empathy in the delivery of care to patients; illustrates professional behavior by example; demonstrates cultural sensitivity in working with patients, family members and colleagues; adheres to professional and ethical standards; pays attention and is sensitive to the patient’s psychological well-being; and displays concern for the general welfare of the community.

Other awardees included:
– Margaret Dean and Summer Shore Bethurum, Ann Tranum Hawkins Award for Excellence in Women’s Health
– Caylyn Yost, Cheryl L. McLemore, M.D., Memorial Pediatrics Award
– Caitlin Geiger and Jessica Taylor, Department of Internal Medicine Award
– Caylyn Yost, Department of Pediatrics Award
– Summer Shore Bethurum, Dillard M. Sholes Society Award
– Matthew Kane, Dr. Henry Clay Reister Award
– Trystan Innes, Dr. Humera B. Chaudhary Memorial Award
– Kirsten Dodson, Dr. Jay and Mina Mehta Family Award in Preventive Medicine
– William Dean, Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award
– Katherine Keith, Laken O’Quinn, Margaret Dean and Summer Shore Bethurum, Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Award
– Laken Bevins O’Quinn, H. Cowan Moss Family Medicine Award
– Maya Subbanna, James Christopher Corbin Memorial Award in Psychiatry
– McKenzie Walker, Kevin Swabe Memorial Award
– Gia Hodges and Lillian DeSousa, Merck Manual Award for Academic Excellence
– Margaret Dean, Outstanding Performance Junior Surgical Clerkship Award
– Creighton Kellum, Phillip J. Hinton, M.D., Career in Surgery Award
– Blanton Gillespie and Zachary Carter, Ronald S. McCord, M.D., Rural Family Medicine Award