New beginnings for the class of 2021
Spring commencement ceremonies celebrate Ph.D. and M.D. graduates from the UF College of Medicine
May 18, 2021 — This spring, Ph.D. and M.D. students crossed the stage during a series of commencement ceremonies in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, transitioning from students to alumni and adding the word “Dr.” in front of their names for the first time.
During Saturday’s ceremony, 149 medical students heard words of wisdom and congratulations from guest speakers including UF President Kent Fuchs, UF College of Medicine Dean Colleen G. Koch, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., and Alma Littles, M.D., senior associate dean for medical education at FSU and a 1982 graduate of the UF College of Medicine.
The graduates then marked the end of their medical school careers and the start of new beginnings and opportunities by receiving their doctoral hoods and signing their names to the Hippocratic Oath.
“It is a humbling and rewarding gift to be entrusted with the care of another human, and each of you has the knowledge, the fortitude and the passion to answer that call of service,” Koch said. “You represent the very best of what it means to be a Gator M.D., and no matter how far from Gainesville you go, your home team will always be here to cheer you on.”
Goodbye Gator Nation, I'm a #GatorMD
Hear from a handful of M.D. graduates from the class of 2021 as they share messages with their classmates and reflect on their time in medical school, where they laid the groundwork for their careers as physicians, found inspiration in their mentors and formed lifelong bonds.
