EVMS commencement keynote speaker Darrell G. Kirch, MD, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, urged the 2010 EVMS graduates to take an active role in creating a just health-care system.

"Think about the legacy you are inheriting, including social justice, and remember that is what makes the white coat real," he said.

The 2010 commencement ceremony took place on Saturday, May 15. Held at the Scope Arena, 254 graduates celebrated their achievements with friends and family.

View photos and video from the event.

EVMS presented Dr. Kirch with an honorary degree in recognition of his lifetime contributions to medicine and science and his advocacy on behalf of patients.

Gerald H. Pepe, PhD, dean and provost, congratulated the graduates for their achievements and praised their commitment to community service.

"Your outreach to the needy in our community and in communities around the globes have been heart-warming and inspiring, and in the true spirit of EVMS, " he said.