Rock G. Positano, D.P.M. is a 1988 graduate of NYCPM.  He has been on staff at New York's Hospital for Special Surgery since 1991, and is nationally known for his non-surgical approach for the treatment of foot disorders.  In addition to his appointment at the Hospital for Special Surgery, Dr. Positano serves as Director of the Foot Center, Sports Medicine section, at the Orthopedic Trauma Service, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Medical College of Cornell University.  He is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, as well as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Applied Biomechanics, Albert Nerken School of Engineering, at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, and an Adjunct Professor, External Programs at NYCPM.

In addition to his D.P.M. degree from NYCPM, Dr. Positano has a Master of Public Health degree from the Yale University School of Medicine, and a Master of Science degree from the NYU School of Medicine.     

In his keynote address, Dr. Positano spoke about the significant role of podiatry in the overall care of patients, and about the profession's ability to make important contributions to the diagnoses and efforts of other medical specialists, especially since podiatrists are often the first health care specialists that people will see.  He described how he had come to choose the profession of podiatric medicine, and concluded by urging the Class of 2012 to take full advantage of the outstanding education available to them at NYCPM.         

Laurence J. Lowy, D.P.M., Dean of Student Services at NYCPM, opened the White Coat Ceremony by welcoming the students, faculty members and guests.  Louis L. Levine, President and Chief Executive Officer of the College, officially greeted the students and said they were now truly beginning their journey on the path to joining the ranks of podiatric medicine.  He briefly traced the history of the White Coat Ceremony, and then concluded by saying that the health care system was turning out increasingly well-trained doctors, and the Class of 2012 would certainly be part of that trend.

Dr. Ross Taubman, President of the APMA, spoke to the new class about their contributions to health care in America.  He urged them never to lose their inquisitiveness, nor ever to allow themselves to be distracted while with a patient.  He told them to make sure they did not neglect their own families.  He then concluded by briefly describing the importance of the APMA to the profession, and urged them to join the Association at the appropriate time.

NYCPM Student Association president Rafael Ramirez, Class of 2010, offered his congratulations to the new class, and spoke briefly about how their efforts as doctors would also ripple through their patients' families, and how - as doctors - they would have the power to help a patient who had arrived in pain, leave in relief.

Next, Steven Goldman, D.P.M. was awarded the College's Distinguished Service Award.  President Levine said Dr. Goldman truly merited the award for his many years of outstanding and devoted service to the College and to podiatric medical education, and for going far beyond the call of duty in giving generously of both his time and his expertise.

 Following Dr. Positano's keynote speech, beaming family members watched as each member of the NYCPM Class of 2012 in turn strode across the stage and was helped into his or her white coat by members of the NYCPM Admissions Committee.  When all the students had returned to their seats, Michael J. Trepal, D.P.M., Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, spoke briefly about the power and responsibility of the white coat.  He then asked the students of the Class of 2012 to rise and recite the Hippocratic Oath with him.

NYCPM received generous support for the White Coat Ceremony from the following sponsoring companies: Dermpath Diagnostics® Institute for Podiatric Pathology; Podiatry Insurance Company of America (PICA); and Citibank Harlem Financial Group.

NYCPM Class of 2012

Forty-one percent of the Class of 2012 is female, and fifty-nine percent is male.  Members of the Class of 2012 come from such top universities as Brown, Emory, Georgetown, NYU, Stanford, Tulane, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and William & Mary.  One student has a medical degree from India, one has a D.P.M. degree from the United Kingdom, and a total of six have advanced degrees.  Several students come from as far away as Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.  The average age of the members of the Class of 2012 is twenty-five.

New York College of Podiatric Medicine and

Foot Clinics of New York

The New York College of Podiatric Medicine, established in 1911, is the first and largest of the eight U.S. schools of podiatric medicine.  Its clinical affiliate - Foot Clinics of New York - is the world's largest foot health center, recording nearly 30,000 patient visits a year.  NYCPM has graduated more than 25% of all practicing podiatrists in the nation, and is at the forefront of podiatric care in terms of education, public awareness, government legislation and professional advancement.  Visit the College's website at www.nycpm.edu and the website of Foot Clinics of New York at www.footclinic.org for more information.