Nevada
UNR Med celebrates the arrival of the M.D. Class of 2028 | University of Nevada, Reno
The White Coat Ceremony for incoming medical students is a profound and symbolic event, marking the official start of their journey into the medical profession. Since 1996, the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) has welcomed a new class of first-year medical students with the White Coat Ceremony. This year, on August 10, 2024, UNR Med welcomed 71 students to the M.D. Class of 2028 at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Reno.
The ceremony signifies the students’ commitment to the values of compassion, integrity and excellence in patient care. As they donned their white coats for the first time, these aspiring physicians embarked on a path of lifelong learning and dedication to improving the health and well-being of others.
“This is a special day because it signifies the first tangible step in a long and complex path to becoming a physician,” UNR Med Dean Paul J. Hauptman, M.D., said. “So, while this path of education is difficult and you will sacrifice time with friends and family, you are making a commitment today to a noble profession, one that the public implicitly understands is a profession of sacrifice.”
Nevada Assemblyman Reuben D’Silva, keynote speaker at this year’s ceremony, delivered a powerful message to the Class of 2028. Drawing from his journey as an immigrant, marine, educator and patient, he highlighted the importance of compassionate, patient-centered care.
D’Silva emphasized, “Compassion is the bridge that connects science to humanity. It is what turns a good doctor into a healer, and what allows for the building of trust and strong relationships that are essential for positive health care outcomes. Always remember, patients may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel and how much you cared for them.”
During the ceremony, students recited the Honor Pledge, highlighting the significance of humanism in all care of patients.
Each student’s path to the White Coat Ceremony is unique, marked by personal achievements and steadfast determination. Donning the white coat represents the beginning of a new chapter for these future physicians, blending personal passion with professional dedication. The ceremony concluded with the Honor Pledge, underscoring their commitment to the path ahead.
The Class of 2028 is a diverse group of future physicians, ranging in age from 21 to 40. With 33 students who completed their undergraduate studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, and 32 hailing from Nevada, the class reflects a strong connection to the state. They have demonstrated strong academics across a wide range of majors, including biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, global politics, business administration, mechanical engineering, anthropology, biomedical engineering and public health.
Class Highlights:
- 11 students are first-generation medical students
- 8 students have ties to rural communities
- The class speaks a combined 22+ languages
Explore more of the magic from this year’s White Coat Ceremony
Nevada
Monday’s high school scores, top performances
Top performances
Boys basketball
■ Mekhi Carter, Canyon Springs: The sophomore collected 17 points, five assists and two steals while leading the Pioneers to a 63-49 win over Tech.
■ Gian Haddock, Desert Oasis: The senior scored 23 points as the Diamondbacks outlasted Silverado for a 70-68 triple-overtime win.
■ Rylan Hearns, Arbor View: The senior finished with 28 points in the Aggies’ 71-55 win over Foothill.
■ Uzo Nwapa, The Meadows: The junior scored 18 points to help the Mustangs hold off Shadow Ridge for a 57-54 victory.
■ David Quesada, Cimarron-Memorial: The sophomore racked up 28 points and eight rebounds to lead the Spartans past Del Sol 84-49.
Girls basketball
■ Samantha Chesnut, Liberty: The senior led a balanced attack with 11 points as the Patriots rolled past Las Vegas 68-14.
■ Greta Piepkorn, Rancho: The sophomore collected 12 points and five steals while leading the Rams to a 42-34 win over Green Valley.
■ Bella Robinson, Coral Academy: The senior finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds, 13 steals and six assists in the Falcons’ 59-20 victory over Eldorado.
■ Sabrina Stewart, Del Sol: The sophomore scored 27 points and the Dragons rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Canyon Springs 62-58.
■ Nation Williams, Centennial: The senior posted 16 points in the Bulldogs’ 76-24 victory over Faith Lutheran.
Flag football
■ Amaya Mackey, Legacy: The sophomore had three interceptions to help the Longhorns secure a 19-6 victory over Moapa Valley.
■ Manahere Peters, Sloan Canyon: The junior caught 10 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns in the Pirates’ 41-24 loss to Bishop Gorman.
■ Charli Taylor, Liberty: The freshman completed 23 of 48 passes for 384 yards and four TDs to lead the Patriots beat Green Valley 35-6.
Scores
Boys basketball
Arbor View 71, Foothill 55
Canyon Springs 63, Tech 49
Cimarron-Memorial 84, Del Sol 49
Desert Oasis 70, Silverado 68 (3OT)
Laughlin 72, Liberty Baptist 52
Losee 63, Mater East 40
Needles 86, Awaken Christian 33
Snow Canyon (Utah) 67, Virgin Valley 61
The Meadows 57, Shadow Ridge 54
Western 62, Cadence 7
Girls basketball
Amplus Academy 46, Chaparral 21
Centennial 76, Faith Lutheran 24
Coral Academy 59, Eldorado 20
Del Sol 62, Canyon Springs 58
Laughlin 41, Liberty Baptist 15
Liberty 68, Las Vegas 14
Mojave 64, Shadow Ridge 63
Rancho 42, Green Valley 34
Spring Valley 48, Doral Academy 29
Sunrise Mountain 53, Cheyenne 18
Western 29, Cadence 21
Flag football
Bishop Gorman 41, Sloan Canyon 24
Chaparral 7, Amplus Academy 6
Cimarron-Memorial 18, Clark 13
Desert Oasis 55, Cheyenne 0
Legacy 19, Moapa Valley 6
Liberty 35, Green Valley 6
Mojave 22, Basic 8
Palo Verde 13, Mater East 12
Jeff Wollard Las Vegas Review-Journal
Nevada
Nevada County house fire sends 2 people to hospital with burns
Two people have been hospitalized after a fire at a rural Nevada County home Monday morning.
Nevada County Consolidated Fire Department officials say several departments responded to the scene along Moroni Lane, west of Colfax and south of Grass Valley, a little after 9:30 a.m.
Firefighters found two burn victims at the scene. One of those victims was taken to the hospital, while officials say the other was taken to a burn center for advanced care.
No other details about the victims’ conditions have been released.
The flames were stopped before they could spread to any other properties.
Exactly what started the fire is now under investigation.
Nevada
People urged to stay inside across California, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota
Thousands of residents across parts of California, Nevada, Oregon, and South Dakota have been advised to stay indoors, as levels of fine particle pollution (PM2.5) will have reached “unhealthy” levels as of January 12, 2026, at 6 a.m. ET, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) AirNow Map shows.
The EPA is urging people in sensitive groups, including the elderly, children, and those with certain health conditions, to completely avoid prolonged or intense outdoor activities. Everyone else should reduce their participation in long or intense outdoor pursuits.
This is because physical activity causes people to breathe harder and faster, which means the fine particulate matter can penetrate deeper into the lungs if people are exercising outdoors.
The EPA warns, “Your chances of being affected by particles increase the more strenuous your activity and the longer you are active outdoors. If your activity involves prolonged or heavy exertion, reduce your activity time—or substitute another that involves less exertion. Go for a walk instead of a jog, for example.”
What Do ‘Unhealthy’ Levels of PM2.5 Mean?
PM2.5 are tiny, inhalable particles of pollution, 2.5 micrometers or less in size (smaller than a strand of hair), that are considered to be one of the most dangerous forms of air pollution, according to the EPA.
This is because they get deep into the lungs—and sometimes even the bloodstream—triggering or exacerbating certain health conditions, like asthma, or causing symptoms ranging from coughing and nose, eye, and throat irritation to shortness of breath and chest tightness.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses the Air Quality Index (AQI) to report and classify air quality across the United States. The AQI is a standardized scale ranging from 0 to 301+, which categorizes air quality into the following levels:
- Good: 0 to 50—Air pollution poses little or no risk to the public
- Moderate: 51 to 100—Some pollutants may pose a moderate health concern for a very small number of unusually sensitive people
- Unhealthy for sensitive groups: 101 to 150—Members of sensitive groups (children, elderly, people with respiratory or heart conditions) may experience health effects; the general public is less likely to be affected
- Unhealthy: 151 to 200—Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious effects
- Very Unhealthy: 201 to 300—Everyone may experience more serious health effects
- Hazardous: 301+—Health warnings of emergency conditions; the entire population is likely to be affected
What Causes PM2.5?
PM2.5 can come from a variety of sources, ranging from wildfires and smokestacks to emissions from vehicles and power or industrial plants.
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