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Monday, May 6, the Class of 2024 from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, led by a bagpipe and drum corps, processed into their Commencement ceremony at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix.
Greeted by the applause and cheers of their families and faculty, the ceremony marked their shift from the classroom to practicing medicine. It was the culmination of an auspicious journey.
Dean Fred Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA, marveled at the determination the more than 90 newly minted physicians showed in making it to their graduation. “You began your medical education despite many unknowns, taking classes virtually for the first year and building the foundation of your career as physicians in a completely new way,” he said. “For this grand experiment to work, we had to trust each other. We have earned each other’s trust. You are not the same person today. You have grown intellectually, professionally and personally. We are in awe of your ability to adapt and excel.”
That theme of trust was central to the message Dean Wondisford offered the Class of 2024, urging them to foster a strong rapport with their patients. “Be a person who can be trusted; build your relationships on collaboration, transparency and honesty. As new physicians, I hope you will strive to deliver the best care to all your patients, regardless of their ability to pay for these services or their personal circumstances,” he said.
Jimmie Parks Watkins, DDS, PhD, MD — a clinical assistant professor of Anesthesiology at the college, as well as a facilitator for case-based instruction — served as the Commencement speaker. He echoed Dean Wondisford's sentiments. “You cannot become a physician without the experience of engaging in a trusting relationship with those you will term ‘patients,’ but who are really fellow travelers along life’s highway in need of the healer’s art only you, because of your training and compassion, can provide,” he said.
Dr. Watkins also cautioned that although technology will continue to evolve, it is important for physicians to maintain their empathy for those they serve. “Please consider that while medical science will change with time, the need for a kind and caring physicians practicing the art of medicine will not,” he said.
Dr. Watkins was surprised to be honored with the Stuart D. Flynn, MD, Master Educator Award. Chosen by the graduating class, it signifies someone who exemplifies the commitment, hard work, humanism and discipline that it takes to be a great educator.
The Class of 2024 Commencement also featured remarks from Robert C. Robbins, MD, president of the University of Arizona, Cecilia Mata, chair of the Arizona Board of Regents, and graduate Meher Rakkar, MD.
Dr. Rakkar was chosen by her peers to deliver the student address. Her words were marked by how close the Class of 2024 became throughout their studies. “My peers are incredibly gifted. They have matched into competitive specialties, have been published in highly esteemed medical journals and recognized as top candidates at some of the most reputable institutions in this country,” she said. “But what towers above all those accomplishments, and what I will remember most, is their ability to laugh freely, their willingness to love generously and their dedication to seek joy in every leg of this journey.”
Dr. Rakkar — who was selected by her classmates to deliver the student address at the Class of 2024 White Coat Ceremony, as well — conveyed zero doubt that those bonds will last a lifetime. “In the face of all that is uncertain about our future from here on out, I hope I can offer one small certainty: No matter what separates us — whether it be time, or experience or distance — we will always be bound by the love we cultivated here.”
Officially doctors, the Class of 2024 now heads to exceptional programs in a variety of specialties across the country, including the inaugural graduates of the college’s MD/PhD dual degree program, Ben Conner, MD, PhD, and Ashley Guest, MD, PhD. The duo began their studies with the Class of 2017 and fulfilled the requirements to earn both doctor of medicine and doctor of philosophy degrees. After seven arduous years, they will enter distinguished residencies at Harvard and Stanford, respectively. Both Conner and Guest will pursue careers in translational biomedical research.
News, Videos and Photos
- Senior Celebration Highlights the Accomplishments of the Class of 2024.
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- Photos from Commencement.
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About the College
Founded in 2007, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix inspires and trains exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to optimize health and health care in Arizona and beyond. By cultivating collaborative research locally and globally, the college accelerates discovery in a number of critical areas — including cancer, stroke, traumatic brain injury and cardiovascular disease. Championed as a student-centric campus, the college has graduated more than 800 physicians, all of whom received exceptional training from nine clinical partners and more than 2,700 diverse faculty members. As the anchor to the Phoenix Bioscience Core, which is projected to have an economic impact of $3.1 billion by 2025, the college prides itself on engaging with the community, fostering education, inclusion, access and advocacy.