UC San Diego School of Medicine Honors Faculty Educators and Celebrates 55th Graduating Class

The University of California San Diego School of Medicine recently honored its most dedicated educators while celebrating the 55th Doctor of Medicine graduating class, highlighting the institution's dual commitment to teaching excellence and physician training.

Faculty Teaching Awards Recognize Excellence Across Specialties

The Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching, selected by each medical school class, recognized faculty members who demonstrate exceptional commitment to medical education, mentorship, and educational innovation.

Geoffroy Noel, PhD, professor of surgery and chief for the Division of Anatomy, received the award selected by the first-year class. Students describe his teaching style as hands-on and engaging, noting that he deliberately cultivates empathy and compassion in the "Compassionatomy" anatomy course. "He invites questions and respects diverse perspectives, reinforcing a classroom atmosphere that is welcoming and inclusive, where students feel safe to share ideas and engage openly with the material," the recognition stated.

Dena Rifkin, MD, clinical professor of medicine and acting chief of medicine at VA San Diego Health Care System, was honored by the second-year class. She has directed the School of Medicine's renal pathophysiology course for the past 10 years, earning recognition for a practical, problem-solving approach that engages students through small-group discussions, written problem sets, and landmark journal articles that foster critical thinking and clinical reasoning.

The third-year class selected David Klein, MD, assistant clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, who serves as director of the third-year medical student OB/GYN clerkship. His research interests include the association of personality with clinical evaluation scores in medical education.

Fourth-year students recognized Sara McKinney, MD, assistant clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, whose teaching incorporates lessons on wellness and balanced life, acknowledging risk factors for physician burnout (搜索)搜索该疾病. Jenna Klubnick, MD, assistant clinical professor of internal medicine, was honored for her work with the Resident as Clinician Educator pathway and clinical reasoning course for pre-clinical students. Sally Baxter, MD, associate professor of ophthalmology, was recognized for her surgical training of ophthalmology residents and advocacy for resident well-being. Micah Blais, MD, assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery, earned recognition for his approach to teaching surgical indications and clinical decision-making, with many residents citing operative experiences with him as "the best learning opportunities they have had."

55th Graduating Class Enters a Changing Medical Landscape

On May 31, 2026, the School of Medicine celebrated its 55th Doctor of Medicine graduating class. The 125 graduates enter the workforce at a time of rapid change in medicine and society.

Michelle Daniel, MD, vice dean for medical education, acknowledged the unique circumstances of their training: "You entered medical school during a period of extraordinary societal change and polarization. At a time when science, medicine, research and higher education have increasingly faced public scrutiny and challenge, you chose to dedicate yourselves to evidence, discovery, service and healing."

California Surgeon General Diana E. Ramos, MD, delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the enduring importance of human connection. "You are graduating into a world of evolving technology and precision medicine with digital tools, all of which can help diagnose early and prevent disease before it progresses but never forget this, medicine begins with a human being caring for another human being," said Ramos. "That is why my message to you today is simple. Be the bridge between science and humanity, between health and innovation and between technology and trust."

Student speaker Vasan Jagadeesh, MD, reflected on the transformative nature of medical education: "Medical school has a way of dismantling those assumptions. It forces you to confront your limits and to fall short in ways you did not anticipate. In doing so, it teaches a difficult but necessary truth: everyone fails at who they think they are supposed to be. The real measure of a person is how well we learn to become who we are meant to be."

Homegrown Healers: Graduates with Deep UC San Diego Roots

Several graduates completed both their undergraduate and medical education at UC San Diego, embodying the institution's culture of mentorship and community.

Nash Toma, MD, who will pursue residency training at the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education in Phoenix, Arizona, reflected: "I stayed for medical school because UC San Diego had become much more than a university to me. It was where I found mentors, community and purpose."

Teini Elisara, MD, who helped co-create the Pacific Islander Student Association as an undergraduate, will continue her residency training in family medicine at UC San Diego. "Continuing my training at the same institution where I began my journey feels both meaningful and humbling," she said.

Aed Qas Yonan, MD, preparing for residency in neurology at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, noted: "UC San Diego gave me more than an education. It gave me a foundation I'll carry with me long after graduation."

Barbara Jung, MD, associate vice chancellor and dean, charged graduates to remain lifelong learners: "I encourage you to approach everything you see and all things around you with curiosity. Educate yourself about your fellow humans, they are fascinating. Read, debate, listen and continue to refine your understanding of what life is all about."