College of Human Medicine Celebrates New Spartan MDs at 2026 Commencement

May 12, 2026

On May 9, the College of Human Medicine held its commencement ceremony at the Breslin Student Event Center for the Class of 2026. Interim Dean Supratik Rayamajhi, MD, conferred degrees for 181 graduates and marked their years of rigorous academic and clinical training and a commitment to serving others.

“You are entering medicine at one of the most transformative moments in modern history. That is not a burden — it is an extraordinary opportunity,” he said. “When the world around us is full of uncertainty, your patients will remember the physician who stayed grounded, present and human.”

The Class of 2026 joins more than 6,500 Spartan MD alums. As they crossed the stage, several graduates were joined by their small children, some just weeks old. Others were hooded by faculty mentors or family members in the health professions including parents, spouses, siblings and other close relatives.   

The graduating class was reunited after spending their third and fourth years of medical school in hospitals and clinics at the college’s statewide community campuses. In July, they will begin residency programs across the country, with more than half of the graduates remaining in Michigan.

This year’s commencement address was given by Bobby Mukkamala, MD, president of the American Medical Association. He encouraged graduates to stay curious, engage in their communities, and continue to challenge the barriers impacting patient health.

The College of Human Medicine presented a posthumous degree to the family of Mackenzie Kalchik Paul, who passed away in January after bravely battling cancer.

A Snapshot of the Class of 2026

This year’s graduating class includes an MD/MBA dual degree recipient, five military graduates, and 45 MDs who earned certificates in rural community health, underserved medicine or public health.

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Class of 2026 Infographic that shows:
181 Spartan MD graduates and 6,599 alumni, of which 97% Residency Placements, with 39.3% going into primary care and the students servicng over 7,200+ community service hours. The top specialties for the class are: Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Surgery. There were 5 total Military Matches that included 2 Airforce, 2 Navy and 1 Army. Of the 181 Spartan MD graduates, 58% MDs will remain in Michigan.

There were many medically underserved program graduates, including 8 Rural Physician Program graduates, 12 Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved graduates, 14 Rural Community Health Program graduates, 11 Medical Partners in Public Health graduates. Of the 181 graduates, 8 were ABLE program graduates, 1 earned a MD/MBA, 29 were first generation and 103 came from disadvantaged backgrounds. 30 graduates were Gold Humanism Honor Society members and 39 were Alpha Omega Alpha member.