Every year, UF College of Medicine students gather to receive recognition at the Honors Convocation, an awards ceremony that commends second, third and fourth-year students for accomplishments in research labs, basic science classrooms and clinical rotations and also acknowledges their community and international service efforts, professionalism and humanism.

This year’s event, which took place Sept. 8 at the McKnight Brain Institute, kicked off with a welcome speech from Patrick Duff, M.D., associate dean for student affairs. College of Medicine professor Heather Harrell, M.D. ’91, then introduced the 22 newest doctors-in-training chosen for the UF chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

Various awards were also presented to students in the classes of 2015, 2016 and 2017. Accolades included the Medical Guild Merit Award, which recognizes junior and senior students with the highest scores on the USMLE Step 1 exam; the Distinguished Service Award, which is determined by peer nominations and honors students who have provided exceptional service to their class, college and community; and the Class of 1980 Hazel Donegan Scholarship Award, established by the class of 1980 to recognize a student who has demonstrated great personal integrity and academic excellence during third-year clerkships.

Check out a photo gallery from the event below. All photos by W. Charles Poulton.