There’s nothing like a warm welcome!

The start of each new semester is always exciting. Nothing warms my heart more than seeing our campus bursting with energy, laughter, and a sense of purpose. It’s an undeniable feeling.

At Avalon University School of Medicine, you will be accepted with open arms. It’s a welcome like nothing you’ve felt before. We embrace you for all that makes you special. Then we push you to become so much more. To keep an open mind. To appreciate the challenges before you.

I encourage each of you to study hard, but also to get involved. To venture out of your comfort zone. To become a better version of you than you are today because you see a future that you never imagined possible.

A sense of belonging promotes achievement and well-being – and it builds community. You will find our AUSOM family supports one another, protects one another, and cheers one another on to ever-greater accomplishments. And no one will be cheering louder than me as you pursue your purpose in life.

So, my wishes for your new academic year are simple: Work smart. Celebrate. Learn from your mistakes. Take care of yourself and the people around you. And always reach out to us when you or someone you know may need help. Together, we will be stronger.

Let’s go make the world a better place, one patient at a time!

Shokat Fatteh, MD
Chancellor