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May 11, 2026

By Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science staff

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Mayo Clinic honored the achievements of its newest physicians and scientists from the Class of 2026 during a combined commencement ceremony held Saturday, May 9, in Rochester, Minnesota. Degrees were conferred by Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

At the Rochester ceremony, 46 new physicians joined the Mayo Clinic alumni community, 34 biomedical scientists received doctoral degrees, and six students earned dual M.D.-Ph.D. degrees through the Medical Scientist Training Program. In addition, 29 students received master's degrees.

These graduates join 48 Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine students in Arizona and Florida who will graduate next week, along with 14 additional biomedical scientists. The Class of 2026 will move on to residencies and professional roles at Mayo Clinic and across the country, helping strengthen the healthcare workforce and advancing innovation in science and medicine.

Fredric Meyer, M.D., former Waugh Executive Dean of Education, was the keynote speaker. Dr. Meyer is the distinguished Alfred Uihlein Family Professor of Neurologic Surgery, former enterprise chair of Neurological Surgery, and executive director emeritus of the American Board of Neurological Surgery. He is an alum of the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education.

Dr. Meyer encouraged graduates to work hard and take advantage of opportunities presented.

"Careers rarely unfold in straight lines. The things that seem irrelevant at one stage of life may prove decisive later, so pursue excellence. Trust your instincts," said Dr. Meyer. "It is critical to be humble. What matters is that you work hard, communicate clearly, build trust, treat patients and colleagues with kindness, and learn from those around you."

The commencement ceremony featured a student speaker from each school. Dr. Skip Harvey, the student speaker from Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and a soon-to-be pediatric resident, reflected on achievement and gratitude.

"Words cannot contain how much I owe you (Class of 2026) for shaping me as a human, peer and physician," said Dr. Harvey. "And I want you to be able to see you and your greatness through my eyes. Each of you has inspired me as I've watched you over the last four years. I am better for having known each and every one of you."

Dr. Megan Ritting, the student speaker from Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, spoke to the power of persistence and perspective.

"Each of us arrived here on a different path — different backgrounds, different disciplines, different stories of how we got to this stage today. But while those journeys may look very different, they share something important in common. Every one of us has proven that we can persist through things we didn't know we were capable of," said Dr. Ritting. "Here, science is not separate from impact — it's deeply connected to it. It represents perseverance in the face of uncertainty, curiosity that refused to fade, and proof — to ourselves more than anyone else — that we can do hard things."