School of Medicine Celebrates One-of-A-Kind Class

As the 54^th graduating class of the University of California San Diego School of Medicine celebrated earning the title of medical doctor, there were tears, cheers and many moments of reflection on the how and why they got to this point.

The Class of 2025 faced unique challenges, uncertainty and upheaval from their very first days of medical school. The global pandemic set a tone for their educational journey which required resilience, flexibility and creativity especially during the first few months.

“You rose to the challenge. You served on the front lines during a global pandemic. You amplified calls for justice, equity and human dignity. You lent your voices to the fight for environmental stewardship, reproductive rights and humanitarian relief at home and abroad. And through it all, you kept showing up—with empathy, integrity and deep compassion.”

Michelle Daniel, M.D., vice dean for medical education

Student speaker, Madeleine Wagner, M.D., who will begin her residency training in emergency medicine at Denver Health in Colorado, reminded her classmates about the importance of community and support comparing that network to a safe harbor.

“This includes our loved ones, our mentors and our teachers in the art of medicine. Thank you for supporting us through this immense challenge, for answering our late-night calls, and for listening to our endless medical jargon while on vacation. When we stumbled, you showed us that we are not alone. Thanks to you and years in San Diego, we know that even the toughest shift or worst test anxiety can be calmed by a cool ocean breeze, a hearty breakfast burrito or simply a day at the beach with the people we love.”

Each member of the Class of 2025 brought a unique set of experiences to the School of Medicine campus. Paul Michael Acosta II, M.D., and Brianna Irons, M.D.,  mark the very first graduates of the Program in Medical Education-Transforming Indigenous Doctor Education (PRIME-TIDE) program. The PRIME-TIDE program is a five-year M.D./master's track designed to prepare medical students for careers focused on providing health care to Native populations. Acosta is grateful for one mentor in particular who has supported his journey.

“I remember the first time Dr. Joshua Boys, my incredible mentor, allowed me to come to the cardiothoracic operating rooms. Through the nervousness of messing up or contaminating the field, it was the first time I felt at home in medicine. I came into medical school thinking I wanted to be a surgeon but left that operating room knowing I would be a cardiothoracic surgeon.“

As Zachariah Tman, M.D., graduates with his medical degree, he will be just the second doctor ever from his home Yap, an island state in the Federated States of Micronesia, and the first to return to Yap. He chose to pursue medicine with a mission to address health and human challenges facing the West Pacific. In 2021, Yap Island had no internists and pediatricians, forcing patients to seek costly care in Guam, the Philippines or the U.S. When Tman returns to Yap after residency training, he will be an infectious disease expert and public health advocate providing transformative and sustainable local care.

“Growing up on an island has its perks. It is isolated, peaceful and you even get your own beach. However, you also grow up catching a plethora of mosquito-borne diseases (Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika) and seeing the limits of health care in a resource-limited setting. I was in marine conservation and modern dance before I set my sights on public health and eventually medicine. This was after a sit-down talk with two of my mentors, Dr. John Swartzberg and Dr. Lee Riley, both infectious disease physician-scientists that I met at UC Berkeley, who challenged me to think about how I would resolve the issues facing my region of the world.”

Tman isn’t the only graduate who is committed to making change for his local community. Elizabeth Farber, M.D., is one of two students who received the Roderick K. Calverley Humanitarian Service Award this year. Given to a student who provided outstanding humanitarian service, Farber and Sergey Komzyuk, M.D., created UkRAIM, a student interest group focused on providing medical assistance and basic survival needs to Ukrainian refugees. They also volunteered many hours providing translation services, triaging patients and assisted health professionals in Tijuana who were caring for an estimated 20,000 refugees from Ukraine.

“One moment that shaped my medical school journey was the announcement of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, while my entire family was trapped there. Volunteering in a Ukrainian refugee camp, interpreting for displaced patients and coordinating aid, showed me how one person’s compassion can bring calm in chaos. It taught me that medicine is not only about treatment, but also about presence and humanity in the darkest times.”

Elizabeth Farber, M.D.

Byron Scott, M.D., president and chief operating officer at Direct Relief, a humanitarian medical aid organization that works in the U.S. and internationally to expand access to medicine and health care by equipping doctors and nurses with lifesaving medical resources, served as this year’s commencement speaker for the ceremony. He reminded the students that their future paths may not be completely clear, and it may involve some peaks, valleys, curves and surprise but they are equipped and ready for it.

“The only thing I knew for certain 35 years ago when I graduated from UC San Diego School of Medicine was that I was going to train in emergency medicine and move from California to Florida for residency. Moving forward keep these things in mind: never say never; keep an open mind; remain humble; when given opportunities, embrace them and when you are in leadership or other influential positions one day, remember to give back and help others along their journey.”

As the students prepare to enter their next phase of medical education—residency training— Barbara Jung, M.D., associate vice chancellor and dean of the School of Medicine, encouraged to embrace their training.

“I charge you to remain passionate learners. You are in the business of humanity. Educate yourselves about humans. They are everywhere. And they are fascinating. Read, debate, listen. Continue to refine your understanding of what it means to be human. Never stop. Be amused and empathic. With this, you will continue to grow and feel invigorated while doing so. You will become the best healers, teachers and innovators.”

Barbara Jung, M.D., associate vice chancellor and
dean of the School of Medicine

Congratulations, Class of 2025! We are so proud of you!