Families, friends, and faculty gathered at Stanford University to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2025 from Stanford Medicine. The commencement ceremony took place on June 14 in Maples Pavilion.
The graduates were encouraged to embrace awe, curiosity, creativity, and kindness as they move forward in their careers. Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the Stanford School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at Stanford University, emphasized this message in his address: “Seek awe in your lives. Not awe as a vague sense of wonder, but as a real embodiment of experience.”
The event celebrated 421 degrees awarded: 179 Master of Science, 27 Master of Science in physician assistant studies, 126 PhDs, and 89 MDs. Keynote speaker Bryant Lin, MD gifted notebooks to graduates for reflection exercises during his speech.
Reena Thomas, MD, PhD welcomed attendees to the ceremony while several speakers acknowledged challenges faced by new scientists and healthcare providers. These included the impact of artificial intelligence on research and medicine and decreased funding.
Chigozie Maduchukwu praised his fellow physician assistant graduates’ resilience amid personal challenges. He highlighted Melanie Shojinaga’s return to complete her degree after a brain cancer diagnosis.
Sarah Huang spoke about facing funding cuts and policy changes affecting research and patient care. Elysse Grossi-Soyster drew parallels between immune system adaptability and graduate resilience during global crises.
Jay Shah reminded peers that medicine involves being present for patients during vulnerable moments. Bryant Lin encouraged curiosity, creativity, kindness, sharing insights from his own battle with advanced metastatic lung cancer.
Lin expressed gratitude for those who supported him throughout his career at Stanford Medicine: “Research really has enabled me to be here.” He urged graduates to consider NIH funding impacts on patients like himself.
As the ceremony concluded with diploma presentations and affirmations from new PhD graduates alongside PA and MD students reciting their commitments to their professions.
