LEWISBURG W.Va. (WVDN) – On the afternoon of May 2, members of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s (WVSOM) Class of 2025 had something to dance about. A pediatrician noted for encouraging his patients to exercise through rhythmic movement was the keynote speaker for a Commencement Ceremony observing the conferral of medical degrees to 185 new physicians.
This year’s ceremony marked a historic milestone for the school: The inaugural class of 24 students in its new Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences degree program shared the celebration with those receiving medical degrees. A majority of those earning master’s degrees have been accepted into WVSOM’s osteopathic medical program for the 2025-26 academic year.
Under a graduation tent on the school’s Lewisburg campus, Tyree Winters, D.O., known as “Dr. Tye: Hip Hop Dance Doc,” told the Class of 2025 that patients deserve the best from their physicians every day.
“You’ll see a numerous amount of patients, but they will only see one of you,” Winters said. “Don’t take that lightly. You fought hard and long to get this privilege, so hold on to it.”
Winters is vice chair of education and director of graduate medical education for Nemours Children’s Health-Delaware Valley in Wilmington, Del., and assistant designated institutional official for Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pa. He recently became president of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians.
His interest in helping young people combat obesity led him to create a dance exercise program and adopt his “Dance Doc” moniker. Through his passion for dance, Winters promotes the benefits of an active lifestyle and inspires children to make healthy choices.
In his speech, he reminded the audience that physicians are called to advocate for those in need. He asked graduates to turn to the class members sitting on either side of them and say, “Neighbor, you are an advocate.”
“Everyone’s advocacy is unique,” Winters said. “You don’t have to go into communities to combat childhood obesity through dance. You don’t have to be on the front page of the Wall Street Journal and speak on behalf of children and citizens who are afflicted with preventable diseases. What you can do is advocate, in your own way, for those who are important to you.”
He offered advice to the new class of physicians, encouraging them to participate in hobbies outside of medicine, to accept imperfections in themselves and others, to ask for help when needed and to stay in contact with the families and loved ones who supported them.
Winters also asked graduates to feel empowered by the uniqueness of their osteopathic education.
“When someone writes ‘M.D.’ behind your name, correct them every time and tell them you are a D.O.,” he said. “Be proud of that.”
James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM’s president, noted in his opening remarks that the school’s D.O. Class of 2025 had a 100% residency placement rate. He reminded the class that WVSOM is an institution with more than a half-century of history behind it and that they are joining that history.
“I’m proud of what has been accomplished in the past 50 years. Please know that your school continues to be a leader in medical education. You are now a part of WVSOM’s legacy and you will help write our story for the next 50 years. I’m extremely proud of you and what you’ve accomplished, and I’m confident you’ll continue to represent yourself and WVSOM with the same level of enthusiasm, service and professionalism you have demonstrated as students,” Nemitz said.
Linda Boyd, D.O., the school’s chief academic officer, told those assembled that the Class of 2025 will always be meaningful to her.
“You were the first class I welcomed in orientation after starting as WVSOM’s dean in 2021, so you are a special group to me,” she said. “It’s been my pleasure and honor to get to know you and work with you during the past four years, and I know that today we are graduating some of the finest future physicians in the United States.”
Mark Wagner, president of WVSOM’s D.O. Class of 2025, addressed his fellow graduates, urging them to begin their careers knowing they have the ability to spark change. He echoed Winters’ call for patient advocacy.
“Each of us holds the potential to make a profound difference, not just in individual lives, but in communities, in systems, in the very way health care is delivered,” he said. “It doesn’t take fame, prestige or wealth to make that difference. It takes showing up. It takes listening. It takes caring enough to stay five minutes longer, to ask one more question, to advocate when no one else will.”
Following the D.O. portion of the event, Timothy Garrow, Ph.D., WVSOM’s associate dean for graduate programs, shook hands with each student who completed the school’s new master’s degree program as they crossed the stage to receive diplomas.
“Today is a special day, because last fall this institution established a master’s degree in biomedical sciences, a one-year intensive program whose goal is to prepare students for the rigors of medical school and other health care careers. Today we have the honor of conferring this institution’s first graduate degrees to our brave inaugural class,” Garrow said.
