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commencement by Susan Reich Degreed and u r b a n a , r o c k f o r d , p e o r ia & c h i c a g o May 10 was a day of celebration and jubilation as 301 exultant "The path you've chosen is vital to our nation and vital to humanity, providing high-quality care and treatment that serves humans' most fundamental and critical needs." Robert Easter, PhD '76 President, University of Illinois T he 301 members of the College of Medicine's Class of 2013 left the M4 moniker behind forever on May 10 as they received their degrees at the college's 131st commencement ceremonies across its four campuses. The college's Doctor of Medicine graduates numbered 176 in Chicago, 52 in Rockford, 50 in Peoria and 23 in Urbana, the largest and most diverse medical school graduating class in America. Graduating alongside them were 26 Doctor of Philosophy degree candidates and 30 Master of Science degree candidates in the areas of Patient Safety Leadership, Master of Business Administration, Master of Health Professions Education and Master of Public Health. "We've spent years longing to add the initials MD or PhD to our names," reflected Class President Dempsey Hughes in her commencement address in Chicago. "Today, that's all become very real—and we will carry these titles and responsibilities with us for the rest of our lives. We will be healers, teachers, investigators and leaders." The mood at the UIC Pavilion was ebullient as the Chicago graduates, postgraduates, family members, faculty, administrators and visiting dignitaries celebrated this milestone so long in the making. "Today marks the beginning of your careers as alumni of the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois," Dean Dimitri T. Azar, MD, MBA, told the graduates. "This is truly a special day and a proud achievement. Soon you will begin your careers as continued on page 26 24 | FA LL 2 013 Larry Tobacman Senior Associate Dean for Research Uretz Oliphant Interim Regional Dean, Urbana