School of Medicine 2023 Commencement Ceremonies
Overcoming the challenges of the pandemic was the theme of the 131st commencement of the Tufts University School of Medicine and the 43rd commencement of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, held on May 21 in the Gantcher Center.
When the MD students arrived in 2019, daily worries were limited to getting to class on time and where to meet friends for dinner, said Helen Boucher, dean of the School of Medicine. Then the pandemic struck. “You saw this crisis, this ultimate test, and you asked for a pair of gloves,” she said. “You immediately saw how to pivot with unmatched agility during a pandemic that left so many directionless.”
Other speakers included Daniel Jay, dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Ganeev Singh, School of Medicine MD Program class president; and GSBS student speaker, Rachael Ryner.
During her address, Ryner encouraged the Class of 2023 to consider the idea that maybe imposter syndrome isn’t real, and how that realization helped her embrace her inherent worth as she worked toward a doctorate.
“The very fact that we feel these doubts is proof that we have pushed ourselves beyond our comfort zones, challenging the boundaries of knowledge and expertise,” Ryner reflected. “It is in this discomfort that growth takes place.”
The School of Medicine celebrated the accomplishments of it's Graduate Program students at a separate ceremony on May 21.
The guest speaker at the Graduate Program's commencement ceremony was Michael Curry, president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. The Class of 2023 were also addressed by a trio of graduates from the Master of Public Health Program. Ciana Hartman, Samantha Menino, and Monica Morgan spoke to the importance of the three stages of disease prevention.
“Throughout our time in the [MPH] program, we have been in a constant state of preparation for the next stage and/or trying to balance as much as we can all at once,” Menino said. “While the balancing act may never end, the constant preparation for our next stage might.”