School of Medicine Commencement Celebrates New Medical Doctors and PhD Biomedical Scientists
(May 18, 2026) — In one of the final commencement ceremonies held at Georgetown University for the 2026 graduation season, students from the School of Medicine were conferred with graduate degrees launching careers in medicine and biomedical sciences during the May 17 event in front of historic Healy Hall. They were sent into the world with a charge to care for themselves, so they can care for others.
The Class of 2026 included 25 PhD students from the university’s Biomedical Graduate Education programs, which merged with the School of Medicine in the 2025-2026 academic year. They joined 213 students receiving Doctor of Medicine degrees. Several medical students graduated with dual degrees, including four MD/PhD degrees, four MD/MBAs and one MD/MS.
In the week leading up to commencement, the president of the medical education class, Christopher Guirguis, MD (M’26), reflected on the Class of 2026’s commitment to service and community throughout their medical training.
“What stands out most to me about our class is the genuine commitment to community,” he said. “Even through the demands of medical training, my classmates consistently showed up through volunteering, advocating for underserved patients, and giving back well beyond the classroom. That spirit of service is something I’ll carry with me as I move into residency and embodies our motto of cura personalis.”
Christopher Guirguis, MD (M’26), pictured carrying the School of Medicine banner with fellow graduate Arjun Mathur, MD (NHS‘22, M’26).
Micaila Curtis, PhD (G’25), a December graduate from the School of Medicine’s Biomedical Graduate Education program, pictured awaiting her turn to walk the stage.
Reflecting on her experience in Biomedical Graduate Education, Micaila Curtis, PhD, (G’25), a December graduate of the School of Medicine’s Biomedical Graduate Education program, said the sense of community and mentorship shaped her graduate training experience.
“What I enjoyed most about my graduate training was the welcoming and supportive nature of our faculty and upperclass peers,” she said. “Our faculty have a wide range of expertise and it’s very apparent, at least for most, that they truly love teaching and the research they are doing. They’re dedicated to cultivating future generations of scientists and world leaders through research, mentorship, and collaboration with surrounding institutions. … Most classmates or peers from all BGE departments have created an environment of learning and trust so we can grow as scientists, together.”
Those receiving PhDs include degrees in neuroscience, tumor biology, pharmacology & physiology, biochemistry & molecular biology, biochemistry and molecular & cellular biology, biostatistics and microbiology & immunology.
Human Connections
Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, MHS, executive dean of the medical school,.and Georgetown Interim President Robert Groves, PhD, presented Carlos Pellegrini, MD, with a hood symbolizing his receipt of a Doctor of Science degree, honoris causa from the School of Medicine.
The School of Medicine selected Carlos Pellegrini, MD, to deliver the commencement address and conferred upon him the Doctor of Science degree, honoris causa.
“At Georgetown, we aspire to form physicians and scientists who advance excellence in medicine while never losing sight of the human person. Dr. Carlos Pellegrini’s life and career beautifully reflect that ideal,” said Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, MHS, executive dean of the medical school.
Pellegrini urged graduates to prioritize human connection, authenticity and personal well-being as they begin careers in medicine and biomedical sciences. Drawing on lessons from his own career in surgery and academic medicine, Pellegrini framed self-care not as selfishness, but as essential to fulfilling Georgetown’s Jesuit principle of cura personalis — care for the whole person.
Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, MHS
“We cannot give others, our patients, our work, everybody else, something that we do not have,” he said. “And that part of my duty as a physician was to preserve the human capital, and you are part of that human capital today, that will in turn take care of others.”
Pellegrini encouraged graduates to invest in relationships with colleagues, patients, collaborators and loved ones, noting that meaningful human connection is foundational to both professional fulfillment and personal well-being.
“The strongest and most consistent predictor of long-term happiness, health and longevity is the ability to establish close relationships — not your wealth, not your fame, not your personal status or your personal achievement,” he said.
Carlos Pellegrini, MD
He also urged graduates to cultivate compassion and empathy in their daily interactions.
“Be the one that provides that unique word of encouragement when somebody is about to give up. Show them that they exist for you, that you see them, that they belong,” Pellegrini said.
As graduates begin careers in medicine, research and healthcare leadership, Pellegrini challenged them to take full responsibility for their destiny.
“Be seen as the person who fuels change. Be seen as an agent of change,” he said.
Closing his remarks, Pellegrini reflected on the responsibility graduates share to care for others and advance human dignity. Quoting Jonathan Sacks’ book “Morality,” he left graduates with a final charge: “Love your neighbor. Love the stranger. Hear the cry of the otherwise unheard. Care for the dignity of all.”
(r to l) John Partridge, PhD, professor of pharmacology and physiology, congratulates medical graduate Arjun Mathur (NHS‘22, M’26).
Discovery, Hope and Healing
In his remarks, Beauchamp reflected on the connection between scientific discovery, patient care and hope.
“We can and must find the ways to bring health and hope and healing to all,” he said. “And now, amongst you, exists the breadth of disciplines and the depth of knowledge to make it so.
“To our MD graduates, your compassion, your use of best evidence, will shape the lives of our patients. To our PhD graduates, your discoveries will help shape what care can become.”
Scenes From the 2026 School of Medicine Commencement Weekend
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