2026 School Commencement Ceremonies

The School of Medicine and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences honored the Class of 2026 in a pair of ceremonies on Sunday, May 17, 2026. Held in Medford, the events brought together graduates, faculty, families, and friends to mark a pivotal milestone for more than 580 students across multiple degree programs.

The morning ceremony at the Gantcher Family Sports and Convocation Center recognized graduates earning medical and biomedical research degrees. Addressing the Class of 2026, School of Medicine Dean Helen Boucher reflected on the graduates’ responsibility, empathy, intellectual curiosity, and resilience. 

“Medicine and science are changing quickly, new discoveries are being translated into practice, technology is changing how care is delivered and how research is conducted, and health professionals are being asked to respond to challenges that are increasingly complex and interconnected,” Boucher said. “In such an environment, what matters most is not the speed of change itself, but the people prepared to work within it.”

Presided over by Laura Baecher-Lind, dean for educational affairs, the ceremony included 195 MD graduates. Among them were 15 graduates who also earned a Master of Public Health degree and three who completed a dual MD/PhD program.

The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Tufts University School of Medicine also recognized 24 graduates, including 12 doctoral candidates and 12 master’s degree recipients.

The ceremony featured reflections from student leaders, with Amodhya Samarakoon, president of the MD Class of 2026, delivering the medical student address, and Caroline Reynolds, a neuroscience PhD candidate, speaking on behalf of GSBS graduates.

Following these reflections, the ceremony moved into the formal conferral of degrees. MD/MPH graduates were recognized first, receiving diplomas from Dean Boucher and Owais Gilani, co-director of the MD/MPH program. They were hooded by Mary Brown, interim dean of student affairs, and Shane Davis, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and recipient of this year’s Dean’s Outstanding Mentor Award.

Graduates of the Maine Track Program followed, with diplomas presented by Dean Boucher and Douglas Sawyer, academic dean for MaineHealth. Brown and Dena Whitesell, assistant dean for students in the Maine Track, performed the hooding. 

The remaining MD candidates then crossed the stage, each hooded by Brown and Davis before receiving diplomas from Dean Boucher.

Afternoon Ceremony Celebrates Graduate Programs

Later that day, a second ceremony on the Carmichael Quadrangle honored graduates from the Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS), Master of Medical Science (PA), and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs. 

In her remarks, Dean Boucher emphasized the shared purpose connecting graduates across programs. “The graduates we are here to celebrate today reflect a remarkable range of experiences, goals, and professional paths. But regardless of which program you were in, or what your next step may be, there is something that unites all of you. All of you are united by a shared commitment to improving human health through purpose-driven leadership, innovation, compassion, and service.”

Eliot Konzal, an MBS candidate, delivered the student address, reflecting on the role of perseverance in the class’s journey.

“One of the most important things I have learned during my time at Tufts, beyond the academics, is how important our resilience is,” Konzal said. “When we look around the room, it is clear that these quiet moments of resilience and community are what brought us here today. We chose to keep going even when the path was not clear.”

Across both ceremonies, the Class of 2026 was recognized not only for academic achievement, but also for its commitment to advancing human health through medicine, science, research, and service. As graduates move into the next phase of their careers, they carry forward the values and training developed at Tufts, prepared to contribute to an evolving healthcare and scientific landscape.