Miller School of Medicine Celebrates Commencement for the Class of 2026
Two-hundred twenty new physicians earned their degrees as the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine honors its Class of 2026 at commencement.
After years of clinical rotations, late-night study sessions and service to a community that helped shape their training, medical students in the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Class of 2026 gathered to mark the moment they officially became physicians. For the 220 graduates, the Commencement Ceremony signaled the start of careers dedicated to improving patients’ lives in a rapidly changing health-care landscape.
Graduates Reflect Strong Commitment to Dual Degrees and Research
The students are ready for the challenge. About 23% of graduates earned dual M.D./M.P.H. degrees. Nineteen completed M.D./M.B.A. degrees. Nine received M.D./M.S. degrees in genomic medicine. Students who did not pursue dual degrees completed a scholarly concentration.
“This moment represents years of discipline, endurance and long hours spent mastering complex material, often in moments of exhaustion or uncertainty,” said Joseph J. Echevarria, president and chief executive officer of the University of Miami and president of UHealth — University of Miami Health System. “Today, we celebrate not only a milestone achieved, but a calling embraced.”
Accelerated Pathway Students Reach Milestone Ahead of Schedule
Seven students finished their program in three years through the Accelerated Pathway to Residency Program. One, Victoria Gomez, will begin her OB/GYN residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Health System.
“I have grown so much as a person and as a professional during my time at Miller, and I really couldn’t imagine who I would be without the journey of medical school,” Dr. Gomez said. “This institution has given me so many opportunities to become the kind of physician I always dreamed of being. I hope that the next four years, like my med school years, will be full of great memories, immense personal growth and meaningful friendship and mentorship.”
Miguel Rojas, one of nine graduating M.D./Ph.D. students in the Medical Scientist Training Program program, said that the support he received shaped his decision to remain in Miami for residency.
“As program graduates, we had the honor to serve our community as physicians while also contributing to scientific knowledge and mentoring the next generation of students,” Dr. Rojas said.
Leadership Messages Emphasize Humanism and Innovation in Medicine
Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer of the Miller School, told graduates they were entering medicine at a pivotal moment.
“The world of medicine is swiftly changing around you. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming our approach to medical education and health-care delivery,” he said. “I encourage you to embrace scientific and technological advances but never forget that humanism is the singular attribute that defines the very best doctors among us.”
The commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient was a familiar figure. Many students began medical school during the UM presidency of Julio Frenk, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D. Now chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles, Dr. Frenk reflected on the resilience of the class and the evolving responsibilities of physicians in a globalized world.
“You are here today because you chose to care. And now, you enter a new phase of that choice, one that unfolds in a world undergoing profound transformation,” Dr. Frenk said. “Medicine is not practiced in isolation. It is about understanding the conditions in which people live and helping them navigate those conditions with dignity. Health is shaped by how well we understand the worlds our patients inhabit.”
A Celebration of Achievement Under a Miami Sunset
As the ceremony concluded, students, families and supporters filed out of the Watsco Center under a breathtaking Miami sunset. The newly minted doctors’ white coats fluttered in the warm evening breeze as parents captured final photos, mentors offered pieces of advice and classmates embraced, some for the last time before continuing their training at residency programs across the country.
For the class, the moment marked the beginning of the careers they spent years preparing to embrace.
More from the Miller School Medicine
Miller School Class of 2026 speaker Nicholas DeLuca reflects on the transformative, unpredictable journey into medicine.
A Miller School of Medicine student shares how clinical exposure, global health, and genomics shaped a people‑first approach to medicine.
As she graduates from the Miller School of Medicine, Kaylie Cullison, M.D./Ph.D, applies imaging science to personalize brain cancer care.
Watch the Miller School of Medicine Class of 2026 Commencement Ceremony live May 9 at 4 p.m. from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables.
Tags: commencement, commencement 2026, Dean Henri Ford, Dr. Henri Ford, dual degrees, M.D./M.B.A. program, M.D./M.P.H. Program, M.D./M.S. program, M.D./Ph.D. program, medical education, medical students