U of A College of Medicine – Tucson convocation celebrates graduating physicians

• What: College of Medicine – Tucson Convocation
• When: Thursday, May 15, 7-9 p.m.
• Where: Centennial Hall, 1020 E University Blvd, Tucson, and livestreamed

On May 15, 117 University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson students will receive their medical degrees at Centennial Hall. These future physicians will take the Hippocratic Oath and be draped with an academic hood to represent their initiation into the medical field.

“The Class of 2025, which includes both undergraduate and graduate students as well as medical students, collectively demonstrated an impressive and admirable list of character traits: discipline, intelligence, courage, humility, perseverance, resilience, enthusiasm, humor, empathy, teamwork and a clear sense of purpose,” said Michael M.I. Abecassis, MD, MBA, the Inaugural Humberto and Czarina Lopez Endowed Dean of the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson and a member of the BIO5 Institute. “We are extremely proud of all our College of Medicine – Tucson graduates, and we look forward to hearing about their continued success as each student embarks on the next leg of their journey.”

Graduates and convocation attendees will hear welcome remarks from Abecassis, followed by a pre-recorded keynote speech by W.P. Andrew Lee, MD, executive vice president for academic affairs, provost and dean of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Brandon Barness was elected by his peers to give the student graduation address. Abecassis will lead graduates in reciting the Hippocratic Oath and deliver closing remarks.

The newly minted physicians will begin residency programs this summer, dispersed across 60 graduate medical education training centers in 24 states. They will pursue specialties in areas including otolaryngology, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, pathology, diagnostic radiology, orthopedic surgery, dermatology, neurological surgery, child neurology and plastic surgery. Four of the graduates participated in the college’s MD/PhD dual-degree program and previously earned doctorates.

More than 40% of the graduates will remain in Arizona and nearly 40% will go into primary care, important factors in addressing the state and national shortage of primary care physicians.

Additionally, as part of the college’s commitment to nurturing community responsive care, 11 graduates participated in the Pre-Medical Admissions Pathway Program. This rigorous medical school preparation program was created for high-potential individuals who possess strong intellect and personal drive and who transformed challenge into purpose.

Beyond the MD: Celebrating a variety of graduates

The College of Medicine – Tucson confers degrees to undergraduate and graduate students in separate graduation ceremonies. On May 16, 264 graduates will receive Bachelor of Science in Health Science degrees in physiology and medical sciences. 

“The Physiology and Medical Sciences program at the University of Arizona continues to stand out as one of the most sought-after degrees on campus, thanks to its long-standing tradition of excellence and student success,” said Claudia Stanescu, PhD, an associate professor and director of undergraduate programs for the Department of Physiology. “Our undergraduates benefit from hands-on learning and close mentorship from outstanding faculty, many of whom are also leaders in the College of Medicine – Tucson. As we celebrate the achievements of this year’s graduating class, we are filled with pride. Their talent, drive and commitment to making a difference promise a future full of meaningful contributions, both in the scientific community and beyond.”

Joining the physiology and medical sciences graduates will be 16 graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Emergency Medical Services program, which was launched in 2019. One student graduated in the fall, 10 students will graduate in the spring and five will complete the program this summer.

“Earning a bachelor’s degree in EMS is a significant achievement that sets individuals apart in the field,” said Joshua Gaither, MD, a professor of emergency medicine and director of the EMS degree program. “Our program equips graduates with the advanced knowledge and leadership skills essential for driving progress in EMS. With few programs like this available nationwide, our graduates are exceptionally well-prepared to lead, innovate and make lasting contributions to the EMS community.”

The Bachelor of Science in Medicine will graduate its third class with 33 students completing the program this year — an increase from six graduates a year ago. The number of graduates is expected to continue to rise, as more than 680 students have declared the major since the program started in fall 2021.

“This program has rightfully earned its place as a very popular major thanks to its strong foundation, dedicated faculty and student-centered approach,” said Paul Gordon, MD, MPH, co-director of the Bachelor of Science in Medicine program. “By offering students the chance to explore diverse pathways in health care, we help them discover where their true passions lie. We are incredibly proud of our graduates as they take the next steps in their journeys, and we look forward to the many ways they will make a difference in the world.”

On May 15, 45 students in bioscience graduate programs will receive degrees, including five Master of Science and five doctoral degrees in clinical translational sciences; nine Master of Science, 10 medical Master of Science and three doctorates in cellular and molecular medicine; two doctorates in immunobiology; five Master of Science degrees in genetics counseling; and two Master of Science and four doctorates in medical pharmacology.

Meet the College of Medicine – Tucson Class of 2025

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Scottsdale native Natalie Caryl is not quite ready to leave Tucson. She matched into pediatrics with Banner – University Medical Center and will become a double Wildcat alumna when she graduates this spring with her medical degree after completing her undergraduate studies in physiology and medical sciences. 

“I really enjoyed my experience as a physiology major,” she said. “I was exposed to all of the science courses that I needed to graduate with my MD.“It was the anatomy and physiology classes that really dug into the ‘why’ of the material, rather than just the concrete facts, and that is where I fell in love with medicine,” she said.

As she gets ready to finish her academic career, she’s excited to celebrate with the important people in her life.

“I am so excited to be graduating. It’s a huge milestone,” she said. “I’ll have all my family and friends there to celebrate with me, and I just couldn’t be more grateful for the support.”

Aidan Levine, PhD, always expected to follow in his physician parents’ footsteps. But as an undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis, he fell in love with scientific research — and realized he didn’t have to choose between the two paths.

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“It felt so fulfilling to be in the laboratory, so once I found out about the possibility of an MD/PhD, I was dead set on doing that. I wanted the tools to traverse the realms of basic science, translational research and clinical research.”

Levine enrolled at the College of Medicine – Tucson as a dual-degree student in 2018, completing two years of medical school before earning a doctorate in pharmacology based on his migraine research. He resumed medical school in 2023 with his eye on a neurology specialty but instead discovered internal medicine.

“I liked thinking about systems — heart, lungs, kidney, liver — and how disease states affected all those things, rather than focusing on just the brain.”

Next month, he begins his residency at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, after which he plans to pursue fellowship training in rheumatology.

“Rheumatology, with new, amazing drugs coming out, spoke to me as a specialty where I can use my pharmacology background,” he said. “It’s a really interesting place for research.”

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Marija Shahid, a first-generation college student who immigrated to the United States from Bangladesh when she was younger, wasn’t sure a career in medicine was attainable. Now, less than a week before receiving her medical degree, she is absorbing the enormity of her achievement.

“Medical school has always been this impossible task I never thought I’d accomplish,” she said. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

She credited her success to faculty members including Jennifer Erdrich, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of surgery who mentored her research work, and Allison Lee Thoeny, MD, an associate clinical professor of anesthesiology who helped her identify anesthesiology as a specialty.

“I matched at my No. 1 choice, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,” she said, referring to a Harvard University-affiliated teaching hospital where she will complete her residency training. “It’s bittersweet. This part of my life is ending, but I’m starting a new journey. I’m looking forward to how much I’m going to grow in Boston and hopefully be the best anesthesiologist I can be.”

Before her cross-country move, Shahid will complete an internship at Northwest Medical Center in Oro Valley, which will give her one last year in Tucson.

“Building my Tucson community, from friendships to relationships with faculty and residents, has been exciting,” she said. “I definitely feel like there’s a village behind me, guiding me.”