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May 21, 2025
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Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Science celebrated the graduation of M.D. and Ph.D. students across Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota. Commencement ceremonies were held May 12-16 and featured faculty, alumni, and student speakers.
Arizona commencement
The medical school and Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences jointly celebrated the first M.D.-Ph.D. student to graduate in Arizona. The M.D.-Ph.D. program on the Arizona campus provides a unique opportunity for students to pursue world-class training to become a physician-scientist, fostering both clinical excellence and scientific discovery.
Speakers focused their remarks on reinforcing the importance of character and values.
Dr. Vikram Gill delivered the student commencement remarks, and, as a graduate and soon-to-be physician, reflected on his time in medical school. "How would you like to be remembered?" he asked graduating classmates.
"The residents and attendings I remember the best are the kind and gracious ones. Not necessarily the smartest or most accomplished ones or the ones with the most publications, but the ones that asked me my name, asked me where I am from, asked me about my hobbies, and showed that they cared about me as a person. Medical school taught us to think like doctors, but I hope we never forget how to also think and feel like human beings," said Dr. Gill.
Dr. Annie Rusk, a Mayo Clinic pulmonary and critical care physician, was the commencement address speaker. Dr. Rusk shared the significance of storytelling in her life and the importance of self-determination. "There will be unexpected turns on your journey," said Dr. Rusk. "Your character and actions during these challenges will ultimately be what defines you. Take these moments in stride, and when faced with a challenge, ask yourself, 'Does this path lead to the physician and person I would like to be?'"
Florida commencement
Newly minted physicians and scientists graduated from Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Jacksonville, Florida, on Wednesday, May 14. As the graduate school has grown on the Florida campus, this year marks the second commencement ceremony for Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Florida for students receiving Ph.D. and master's degrees.
The 12 medical school graduates who earned their medical degrees were part of an innovative program that allows students to complete their first two years of classroom study in Arizona or Minnesota, and then complete two years of clinical study in Jacksonville.
Dr. Olayemi Sokumbi, a dermatologist who attended medical school and residency at Mayo Clinic and now serves as an attending physician, researcher and mentor, delivered the keynote address. She shared wisdom from her life and journey, encouraging students to trust the wisdom from their life experiences.
"Where you come from is not a limitation. It is your launchpad. Your story — every chapter of it — is your strength. It has given you perspective. It has shaped your voice. It has taught you how to see the unseen, how to care deeply, and how to rise when nothing around you said you could," she said, adding, "The truth is the world doesn't just need more degrees — it needs more compassion. It needs scientists who think ethically, doctors who listen like the patient is their own mother, leaders who ask not just what's efficient, but about what's just — those who put the needs of the patients first."
Dr. Stephanie Oatman was the student speaker from the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. She received her Ph.D. following research studying Alzheimer's disease, and she spoke about the importance of teamwork and community in science and medicine. "Ask for help," she encouraged the graduates. "Offer help. Share what you have learned and pay forward what you have been given. Regardless of where you go, lift others up and leave it a better place than when you found it."
Minnesota commencement
Mayo Clinic celebrated the graduation of the next generation of physicians and scientists. In a combined ceremony in Rochester, Minnesota, on Friday, May 16, students received degrees conferred by Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Forty-six new physicians joined the prestigious Mayo Clinic alumni, and 42 new biomedical scientists received doctoral degrees. In addition, 37 students received master's degrees.
Dr. Saranya Wyles was the keynote speaker. Dr. Wyles is a Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science alumna and Mayo Clinic dermatologist-scientist with specialized training in regenerative medicine and additional focus on skin aging.
She encouraged graduates to remember Mayo's primary value, reinforced throughout their training: The needs of the patient come first. "It sounds simple," she said, "but in a world that sometimes confuses fame with purpose, or fortune with fulfillment, it is revolutionary. When things get hard — and they will — let that mantra reorient you. It's your North Star. It will never fail you."
The commencement ceremony featured a student speaker from each school. Dr. Steven Callori was the student speaker from Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, and as a soon-to-be physician, he reflected on the accomplishment at this stage of his education.
"As we embark on this next stage in training, I hope you all remember this one. Remember the joy and pride in your accomplishments in the hearts of those around you today, and give yourselves credit for the amazing people that you are and the amazing physicians you are all certain to become," said Dr. Callori.
Dr. Esther Rodman was the student speaker from Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. She focused on cancer during her Ph.D. research. She urged graduates to use their training constructively for society.
"We now hold a degree that gives us a platform. We're trained to think critically, to problem-solve, to ask tough questions. And we can use that — not just to publish papers, but to advocate for what we believe in, to speak up for patients, to mentor the next generation. I hope we take these skills with us wherever we go next — whether it's in academia, industry, policy, education or something entirely new. The world needs that more than ever," said Dr. Rodman.
Dr. Fredric Meyer, Waugh Executive Dean of Education, concluded the ceremony with these remarks: "You have chosen a noble profession. You will be on the front lines of some of the most important health issues and challenges of our time. You have an enormous responsibility to listen when others are not and to see what others do not, and to heal the ills of both your patients and society. I'm optimistic that the future of medicine will no doubt be brilliant with these graduates entering the field.
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About Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine matriculated its first class in 1972. For 50 years, a world-class faculty has educated aspiring physicians in Mayo Clinic’s unsurpassed model of team-based, patient-centered care. Our faculty members work with students to develop the skills to be highly successful care providers as well as the compassionate hearts and inquisitive minds that change lives and innovate healthcare for generations to come.
About Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
The mission of Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is to develop the next generation of leaders in biomedical science and education. First established in 1915, Mayo’s graduate degrees were initially awarded in partnership with the University of Minnesota. Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences became an independent, degree-granting institution in 1983. For the past quarter century, our world-renowned faculty have worked within Mayo Clinic’s unique three-shield environment of the clinic, research, and education to recruit, empower, and nurture future scientists (M.S. and Ph.D.) and physician scientists (M.S./M.D. and M.D./Ph.D.) to explore the world and innovate.
About Mayo Clinic Alumni Association
The officers and Board of Directors of the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association will soon welcome graduates as the newest members of the alumni association. The association’s mission, "Connecting our alumni and bringing Mayo Clinic values to the world" is central to its purpose, nurturing mutually beneficial relationships between Mayo Clinic and the remarkable individuals who participate in its education programs. Formed in 1915 by alumni who wished to maintain scientific and social contacts with the people and programs of Mayo Clinic, the class of 2024 will soon join the ranks of esteemed Mayo Clinic alumni. Mayo Clinic alumni are found in more than 80 countries, on the faculty of the world’s leading medical schools, and in leadership positions of national and international scientific organizations.