The ability of the Yale School of Medicine (YSM) MD Class of 2025 to change the world for the better was a common theme at its May 19 Commencement ceremony. Family and friends of the 87 graduates, along with YSM faculty, students, and staff, filled Amistad Park for the occasion.
Graduate Brian Amu Fleischer—who the class selected to deliver the Invocation—reflected on the time his classmates were in school. “We are a historic class, we started medical school in the middle of a pandemic and have lived through assaults on human rights, the displacement of millions, and the loss of critical health institutions with global repercussions.” Yale, he said, “gave us room to ask first ‘why,’ and sometimes ‘why not’—and then act. And we did.”
Fleischer shared examples of their actions, such as providing lifesaving care to uninsured neighbors, studying the effects of Long COVID, exploring healing through arts and humanities, and standing with the displaced and silenced. Referencing the Yale System of Medical Education, Fleischer noted, “With our unique collaborative system, Yale handed us a blank check, trusting we would use it responsibly. Today, as we scatter across the country into diverse communities, each with its own challenges, there is no more urgent time to cash in on that faith.”
Imagine and fight for a better world
Against this backdrop, Fleischer shared “four brief petitions—prayers for the kind of physicians, people, and leaders we might strive to become.” Turning to his first, he said, “In today’s world, where truth, the pursuit of knowledge, and human dignity are under attack, in times when our work may feel not enough, in these moments of frustration, fear, and uncertainty, my first petition is this: That we do not lose faith that things will get better.”
Reflecting, he noted, "To practice medicine is to embrace uncertainty. Despite our best efforts, we will face moments where answers are unclear. I pray we sit humbly with that discomfort. For without uncertainty, there can be no faith. Faith is the evidence of things not yet seen, the substance of things hoped for. It fuels our audacity to imagine and fight for a better world."
For his second petition, Fleischer asked his classmates to think about what kind of doctor they aspire to be, and to “consider being a kind one,” adding, "In a world fractured by division, hatred, and leaders who exploit difference, kindness may be our most powerful act of defiance—and hope." Fleischer's third petition was for the graduates to be kind to themselves, noting this may take many forms, including sometimes “slowing down and allowing ourselves to be cared for.”
Fleischer’s final request to his classmates was to “pray we never grow numb to the miracle of medicine. I pray that our awe continues to fuel our pursuit of excellence in our clinical care, research, advocacy, and community-building.” He summed up his petitions stating, “I pray our faith, kindness, and love ignite the world we want to see.”
Curiosity and humility
In remarks following the Invocation, Nancy J. Brown, MD, Jean and David W. Wallace Dean and C.N.H. Long Professor of Internal Medicine, echoed the message of generating change. “You are becoming physicians at a time of upheaval in our institutions of higher learning, our country, and the world. Such times are clarifying. Today you are entering a sacred profession in which you will have the opportunity to change the world through curiosity and humility, one patient, one discovery, and one policy at a time.”
Lessons in possibility, lessons in hope
Commencement Speaker Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, MD, James C. and Sarah K. Kennedy Dean of Research at the Mayo Clinic in Florida, similarly focused on the graduates’ ability to change the world, in remarks which reflected his own journey—a journey that Brown said, “reminds us that no dream is too bold, and no obstacle too great.” At age 19, Quiñones-Hinojosa came to the United States from Mexico as a migrant farm worker with no knowledge of English and, as Brown described, “through relentless perseverance, he rose from the fields of California, to the operating rooms of the world’s most prestigious hospitals.” Quiñones-Hinojosa also leads groundbreaking research on brain cancer and stem cells, and is co-founder and president of Mission: BRAIN, a global nonprofit dedicated to advancing neurosurgical care in underserved regions.
Near the start of his talk, Quiñones-Hinojosa spoke about the half-day "Brains & Beyond: Neurosurgery for Young Minds" event, held in mid-April, which he collaborated on with the Class Co-presidents Adrian R. Acuna Higaki and Alicia Patricia Stephan. Middle school girls from primarily underserved, immigrant backgrounds engaged in STEM activities with YSM students and faculty, and had the opportunity ask Quiñones-Hinojosa questions during a video Q&A.
He told the class, “You created a space where underrepresented young girls could see firsthand what is possible in STEM. You made them feel seen." He continued, "Many of these students saw their own stories reflected in mine—the journey of an immigrant, the pursuit of a dream, and the unwavering belief that no barriers are insurmountable.” Quiñones-Hinojosa explained, “These were not just lessons in medicine; they were lessons in possibility, lessons in hope,” adding, “This is the essence of our calling—not just to heal, but to inspire others. Not just to cure, but to ignite curiosity in others—so that the work continues long after we are gone.”
Light and truth
Quiñones-Hinojosa then turned to sharing lessons that he said, “helped me and may serve you in the journey ahead.” These included, “Love what you do and love those around you.” He told the graduates that whether they pursue surgery, research, public health, or innovation, “let passion be your compass,” adding that, “Finding your calling in medicine is like falling in love—it doesn't always announce itself with fireworks. Sometimes it's just the quiet realization that you've lost track of time while doing a procedure most would find tedious.” Another critical lesson he shared was “never stop learning.” Quiñones-Hinojosa told the graduates that, “The day you believe you've mastered medicine is the day your growth ends—so schedule time each week to be happily confused by something new.”
Towards the end of his remarks, Quiñones-Hinojosa told the graduates, “My journey has taught me that what seems impossible is often just waiting for someone stubborn enough to try it over and over. Class of 2025, medicine needs your stubborn hope.” Reflecting further, he said, “We stand at different points on the same path—me with more miles behind, you with many, many more miles ahead. But we share the same privilege: to be present at life's most profound moments, not as observers but as participants.” Quiñones-Hinojosa closed his remarks by stating, “Yale prepared you not just to practice medicine, but to change the world through it. To give light in moments of darkness. To give hope in times of despair. Light and truth.”
Music, awards, and degrees
Graduate Harry Doernberg, who was selected by his classmates to perform a musical piece, enriched the ceremony, playing a beautiful rendition of Bach’s “Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, Prelude,” on his cello.
Honoring outstanding faculty and resident teaching is a YSM Commencement tradition. Brown, along with Acuna Higaki and Stephan, announced this year’s awardees during the ceremony. See a list of the awardees, and quotes from their nominees, here.
See the list of joint and dual degree recipients, as well as recipients of the MD degree and Certificate in Global Medicine and the MD degree with a Concentration in Medical Education, in the Commencement Program.