On May 2, members of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s (WVSOM) Class of 2025 had a reason to dance. A pediatrician known for encouraging his patients to exercise through rhythmic movement was the keynote speaker at a Commencement Ceremony celebrating the awarding of medical degrees to 185 new physicians.
This year’s ceremony was a watershed moment for the school, as the inaugural class of 24 students in its new Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences degree program celebrated alongside those receiving medical degrees. The majority of those pursuing master’s degrees have been admitted to WVSOM’s osteopathic medical program for the 2025-26 academic year.
Tyree Winters, D.O., also known as “Dr. Tye: Hip Hop Dance Doc,” told the Class of 2025 that patients deserve the best from their doctors on a daily basis.
“You will see a numerous amount of patients, but they will only see one of you,” Winters told me. “Do not take it lightly. You fought hard and long for this privilege, so cherish it.”
Winters is the vice chair of education and director of graduate medical education at Nemours Children’s Health-Delaware Valley in Wilmington, Delaware, as well as the assistant designated institutional official at Thomas Jefferson University’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Philadelphia. He was recently named president of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians.
His desire to assist young people in combating obesity led him to develop a dance exercise program and adopt the moniker “Dance Doc”. Winters’ passion for dance promotes the benefits of an active lifestyle and encourages children to make healthy choices.
In his speech, he reminded the audience that physicians are expected to advocate for those in need. He instructed graduates to turn to the classmates sitting on either side of them and say, “Neighbor, you are an advocate.”
“Everyone’s advocacy is unique,” Winters said. “You do not have to go into communities to fight childhood obesity with dance. You do not need to be on the front page of the Wall Street Journal to advocate for children and citizens suffering from preventable diseases. What you can do is advocate for those close to you in your own unique way.”
He advised the new class of physicians, encouraging them to pursue hobbies outside of medicine, to accept flaws in themselves and others, to seek assistance when necessary, and to maintain contact with the families and loved ones who supported them.
Winters also requested that graduates 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.,” stated the doctor. “Be proud of that.”
WVSOM’s president, James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., stated in his opening remarks that the school’s D.O. Class of 2025 has a 100% residency placement rate. He reminded the students that WVSOM has over a half-century of history and that they are about to join it.
“I am proud of what has been accomplished over the last fifty years. Please know that your institution remains a leader in medical education.You are now a part of WVSOM’s legacy, and you will help shape our story over the next 50 years.
I am extremely proud of you and your accomplishments, and I am confident that you will continue to represent yourself and WVSOM with the same enthusiasm, service, and professionalism that you demonstrated as students,” Nemitz said.
Linda Boyd, D.O., the school’s chief academic officer, told the audience that the Class of 2025 will always be special 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 reflected. “It is 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, encouraging them to start their careers knowing they have the power to effect change. He repeated 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 told reporters. “It does not require fame, prestige, or wealth to make a difference.
It requires showing up. It requires listening. It takes compassion to stay five minutes longer, ask one more question, and 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 successfully 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 designed to prepare students for the rigors of medical school and other health-care careers. Today, we have the privilege of awarding this institution’s first graduate degrees to our brave inaugural class,” Garrow stated.
