Each graduation season, the George Washington University’s (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) community takes immense pride in recognizing the extraordinary accomplishments of its graduates. Among these achievements is induction into the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) — a national organization that honors medical students, residents, and faculty members who exemplify the highest standards of compassionate, patient-centered care.
Founded by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, GHHS recognizes individuals who are seen by their peers and mentors as role models in the practice of medicine. Inductees are selected through a nomination and review process in which students are recognized not just on academic achievement, but also for their “demonstrated excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion, and dedication to service.”
Christina Prather, MD, associate professor of medicine, director of the division of geriatrics and palliative medicine, and GHHS faculty advisor, led the special induction ceremony on May 16, 2026. She emphasized that the honor serves as an inspiring reminder of why physicians choose medicine as a noble calling, anchoring their daily practice in humanistic values.
Prioritizing Whole-Person Care and Peer Support
To open the event, student inductees Anna Buchanan and Allison Pasti presented this year’s student chapter service project. Looking to create a legacy that will endure long after graduation, the cohort of 35 student inductees focused their efforts on an emerging need: the mental health care, psychological well-being, and overall support for medical students.
The Class of 2026 cohort divided into specialized teams to tackle the project from multiple angles. One group focused on securing grant funding designed to cover insurance co-pays for GW medical students seeking counseling, explicitly aimed at lowering financial barriers to mental health services.
Additionally, the students developed and published an evidence-based webinar for incoming and waitlisted students, focusing heavily on how parents, partners, and friends can help support medical students through their training. Another team mapped out local Washington, D.C., wellness resources — ranging from university services, to localized counseling centers, to regional fitness discounts — all to help ensure future classes can more easily access emotional, physical, and psychological care.
Core Values from the Front Lines of Care
Next, the chapter celebrated this year’s Faculty Inductee Anita McSwain, MD, MPH, assistant professor of surgery and associate director of the Breast Care Center. Selected by the student body as a trusted mentor and exemplar of humanism,
McSwain reflected on her unique journey. She highlighted her upbringing in an Air Force family and her own career in the Air Force and Air Force Reserves, which included medical deployments as a general surgeon in Qatar and Northern Iraq.
McSwain shared how the lessons she learned stabilizing wounded service members — including experiences helping soldiers serving in high-stress combat zones — directly informed her approach to patient care. She encouraged the graduating class to integrate three core values from the Air Force directly into their medical careers:
- Integrity first: Having the moral courage to tell the truth and do what is right, even when it is difficult.
- Service before self: Looking beyond personal comfort to recognize the deeply inherent dignity and worth of every single patient.
- Excellence in all we do: Committing to relentless growth not just in clinical precision, but in empathy, active listening, and communication.
“Human connection doesn’t require perfection, it requires presence,” said McSwain.
McSwain reminded the future residents that despite the hectic pace of a clinic, taking the time to slow down, to look away from the computer screen, and to see things from the patient’s perspective is what builds lasting clinical trust. She also highlighted her international medical mission work with teams in places such as West Africa, emphasizing that operating in resource-limited environments underscores the universal importance of basic human connection.
Anchors of Trust in Uncertain Times
Building on McSwain’s reflections, Interim Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of SMHS Andrew W. Artenstein, MD, MBA, addressed the new honorees. Joining GW in March 2026 as a nationally recognized expert in infectious diseases, biodefense, and academic medicine, Artenstein amplified the pillars of honor, personal sacrifice, and the profound weight of clinical proximity.
Arenstein reminded the Class of 2026 that, as they transition into specialized fields, their greatest impact will often lie in how they navigate small, intimate interactions with those under their care.
“It never ceases to amaze me what patients remember about their health journeys or the health episodes they experience,” Artenstein said to the inductees. “Sometimes it’s because a physician made a breakthrough diagnosis or solved the problem in a way that no one else could. But often it’s simply the way the physicians and the overall care team made them feel ... . It's those little moments that can open doors and change everything in the patient’s path to recovery.”
In closing the ceremony, Artenstein expressed immense pride in the graduating class, noting that despite broader societal shifts, the sacred trust between patients and their physicians remains strong. He commended the 2026 GHHS inductees for already embodying that trust, and for carrying the banner of humanism and compassionate care into the next phase of their medical journeys.
