Bidding Farewell to the UMSOM Class of 2026

Dean Gladwin Marks His Four Years Along with the 217th Graduating Class

Four years ago this August, the new Dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine walked through the school’s doors for the first time along with the Class of 2026. On May 14, 131 newly minted physicians from the Class of 2026 marked the culmination of their journey with Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD at the historic Hippodrome Theatre, where they were celebrated by the families, mentors, and colleagues who helped carry them to this moment.

It was a ceremony defined by continuity and connection. While Dean Gladwin has presided over every medical school graduation since his appointment, he noted that this year’s graduates held a special place in his heart.

“I’m so proud of the Class of 2026—these are my babies,” said Dean Gladwin who is also the Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. “I started with them four years ago and spoke with them on my first week on the job about how important it is to have resilience throughout this process and during the transition to becoming a physician.”

Dean Gladwin delivered the graduation address where he predicted what the future of medicine would look like two decades from now.

“The pace of the current transformation is breath-taking,” he said. “One day, imagine agentic systems that are constantly monitoring all records and lab results to identify early kidney disease, pre-diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and that can identify and activate treatment for your patients at high risk of hospital readmission, or even substance use disorder or overdose. Imagine the integration between advanced home robots, wearable technology, and agentic home health care systems that monitor and manage your patients at home and coordinate with you as the physician leader.”

He also reminded the new class of physicians that technology would not replace traditional acts of connecting personally with patients to help them heal.

"As physicians, it is our obligation to embrace our evolving field while remaining true to a tenet that has guided our predecessors: ‘to cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always,’" Dean Gladwin said. "By doing so, we ensure that the sacred tradition of medicine remains an art, rather than an algorithm. You all are symbolically crossing a privileged threshold, whether you are ready for this or not, you are empowered with a sacred right to share in our patients and their families’ lives, secrets, joys and suffering on their journey from birth to death."

Graduating students are headed to training programs at some of the nation's most prestigious institutions, having matched at 58 different healthcare facilities across 23 states, with 26 percent of the class staying in Maryland to serve local communities. Primary care programs accounted for the largest portion of UMSOM’s match placements with 36 percent of the class matched in family medicine, internal medicine, or pediatrics.

“I remember, during our whitecoat ceremony, feeling a sense of excitement but also uncertainty about the challenges that lied ahead,” said Laila Abujuma, MD, ’26, who will complete her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey after doing a preliminary year in Internal Medicine at in Baltimore, Maryland. “I’m feeling those same emotions today, but I’m also sad because I’m closing the chapter on a time in my life where I grew the most personally and professionally.”

Many graduates are looking forward to paving their own way in their specialty fields. For example, Casey Hofstaedter, MD, PhD, ’26, is doing a preliminary year at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in pediatrics before moving to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for his residency in anesthesiology.

“I was really inspired by having a strong impact on people’s lives—both in a compassionate-type way and in a research-type way,” he said. “I really hope to leave a lasting effect on my patients in my career.”

This year, two graduates received the Faculty Gold Medal for Outstanding Qualifications for the Practice of Medicine: Ryan Lashgari, MD ’26 and Harrison Mayo, MD ’26. This is UMSOM’s most distinguished honor, recognizing outstanding scholarly accomplishments and those qualities of humanity and dedication most desirable in a physician.

Aidan Wiley, MD ’26 received the Balder Scholarship Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement, given to the graduating senior with the highest academic record throughout the medical course.

Watch the Graduation Video

“This is the most important, value-driven career you could imagine, and these students are ready for the charge,” said Dean Gladwin. “I’m so honored they chose to serve at the University of Maryland, and I look forward to watching them flourish and become leaders in academic medicine.”

Beyond medicine, the Class of 2026 brought remarkable diversity of talent and experience to their medical training. Students included a competitive Indian Bhangra dancer, a Make-a-Wish Foundation Wish Granter, a musical artist who started a PreMed coaching company, a Taekwondo black belt turned powerlifter, several marathon runners, and a fish breeder.

Learn more about where the Class of 2026 is headed next.

UMSOM Graduation 2026 Gallery >