One by one, students from the UF College of Medicine class of 2018 stopped to shake hands and chat with Michael L. Good, M.D., at the dean’s reception Tuesday evening.

The gathering, which took place at Emerson Alumni Hall on Aug. 5, marked the end of orientation and the beginning of classes for the 135 first-years. As glasses clinked and chatter filled the silence, Good made his way around the room to get to know the students as more than just faces in the crowd.

“We consider this your other family,” he said. “The relationships you will develop are just amazing.”

He told a story about his own recent 25-year reunion at the University of Michigan, where he reconnected with former medical school classmates and continued conversations as if no time had passed.

The dean advised students to support one another and emphasized the importance of time management. He also shared fun facts about the UF College of Medicine — along with his most embarrassing medical school moment — and acknowledged the faculty who would help students through the next four years.

“Welcome to your first family dinner,” Good said. “Tonight it’s just about you spending time with one another.”

Check out photos from the event below, and click here to learn more about this year’s orientation experience.