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FIU Medicine celebrates 112 new doctors
Years of study, late nights and many cafecitos led to this moment: the walk across the stage.
The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine M.D. Class of 2026 celebrated commencement with family, friends and mentors inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, officially earning the title of doctor of medicine.
Graduates sat shoulder to shoulder with classmates who shared the long hours, pressure and perseverance it took to reach this milestone. Surrounding them were proud loved ones who supported them along the way.
“Your support has carried them here,” said Dean Dr. Juan C. Cendan, addressing the audience. “Today belongs to you as well.”
See photos from the MD 2026 Commencement Ceremony
That emphasis of support—and the human connection behind it—was echoed by student speaker Hope Morales, vice president of the class. She reflected on lessons learned beyond textbooks and exams.
“One of the lessons that has been continuously emphasized throughout our medical education is just how crucial it is that we preserve the humanism that lies within medicine,” she said.
Addressing her classmates, Morales added, “I could go around one by one and list out a component of humanity that each of you has taught me and that we will leave with each other.”
As artificial intelligence continues to shape the future of health care, FIU President Jeanette Nuñez and Cendan emphasized its role as a tool—not a replacement—for physicians. While AI can strengthen medical care, it cannot replace trust, judgement or empathy. Cendan highlighted AI’s ability to reduce errors, process large volumes of data and support clinical decision-making, while stressing its limits.
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“It will save lives,” he said. “We need to embrace it, but we cannot allow it to replace our responsibility, our ability to think, to question and to connect on a human level.”
Dean Juan C. Cendan addresses the Class of 2026. In photo from left: Michelle Palacios, senior vice president for marketing and strategic communications and chief marketing officer; David Schneider, senior vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer; Dr. Herbert Wertheim, the college’s namesake; and FIU President Jeanette Nuñez.
Alexander Daoud, M.D.’16, a dermatologist and FIU Medicine alum, administered the physician’s oath. He emphasized the far-reaching impact the graduates will have as physicians, noting that caring for one patient often means making a life-changing difference for an entire family.
“Now, as you prepare to embark on your careers as physicians, you yourselves will bear the responsibility of self-guidance, of lifelong learning and the practice of medicine to not only the highest caliber but to the greatest of your abilities,” said Daoud.
He then invited his newest colleagues to turn and face the audience—symbolizing the patients and communities they will soon serve—as they recited the oath together.
The Class of 2026 is met with confetti as they turn their tassels at the close of their commencement ceremony.
The Class of 2026 enters the profession during a period of significant growth for FIU Medicine. Partnerships with Baptist Health and Nicklaus Children’s are expanding training and research opportunities while reinforcing FIU’s role in addressing South Florida’s health care needs.
That impact will continue to grow with the Helen and Jacob Shaham Academic Medical Center, set to open on FIU’s main campus in 2028. Developed in partnership with Baptist Health, the seven-story facility will integrate education, research and patient care, expanding access to high-quality services while supporting the training of future physicians.
Together, these initiatives are also creating more opportunities for FIU graduates to train, practice and remain in South Florida, serving the communities they once called home as physicians, educators and leaders.
“Class of 2026, you are ready,” said Cendan. “We look forward to the future that you will help build.”