Each year, St. George’s University (SGU) School of Medicine celebrates one of the most anticipated and meaningful milestones in a medical student’s academic journey—medical school graduation. It’s a moment when students’ years of dedication, perseverance, and sacrifice are recognized as a proud achievement and commemorated with an MD next to their name.
For prospective students considering SGU for their medical education, the University’s School of Medicine 2025 Commencement Ceremonies offer an inspiring vision of what is possible.
A Global Celebration of Excellence
SGU’s 44th annual commencement was nothing short of extraordinary. Graduates from the School of Medicine received their degrees across three ceremonies. This year’s celebrations were held on June 7 and 8 at the iconic Louis Armstrong Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY.
The atmosphere inside the stadium was filled with energy as graduates celebrated alongside family members, friends, and SGU deans, administration, and faculty. Applause and cheers echoed throughout the venue as graduates took to the stage to receive their diplomas.
“Honestly, I just can’t believe that I just graduated,” Vikrant Bhatnagar, MD ’25, said following the ceremony. “It is the most unreal feeling that I’ve ever experienced.”
Dr. Bhatnagar adds: “Coming to this graduation, I didn’t really [know what to] expect. But then after walking on stage and having my dad hood me, it was honestly one of the best feelings I could ever experience.”
From Childhood Dreams to Starting Residency
During his Commencement remarks, SGU Chancellor and Founder Dr. Charles R. Modica brought the audience to its feet with the playful question, “Is there a doctor in the house?”
He went on to express his heartfelt pride in this year’s graduates: “We provide more doctors to the United States of America than any other school in the world. And we’ve done it for over 10 years now. But it’s not just the number—it’s the caliber, it’s the qualities that you possess to have brought you here today.”
This summer, over 1,035 SGU-trained doctors will begin residency programs in over 40 states and the District of Columbia, securing positions in 20 different specialties. They join a global network of more than 23,000 SGU School of Medicine alumni, now shaping healthcare worldwide.
Paulette Hausner, MD ’25, from Chicago, IL, has dreamed of becoming a doctor since she was six years old.
“I was born with a blood disorder, so I was always in the hospital,” Dr. Hausner shared after commencement. “I loved the impact that my hematologist had on me and my family. And I wanted to grow up to be just like her and treat patients the way she treated me and how she made me feel.”
But even at an early age, Dr. Hausner was already interested in pregnancy and women’s health. This past March, she matched in an OB/GYN residency at The Brooklyn Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, and began her new position a few weeks ago.
“Since I was six years old, I told my family I’m going to be the doctor that delivers babies,” she says. “I can’t believe that today I’m actually graduating to be that doctor.”
The Call to Serve
During Commencement ceremonies, School of Medicine Dean Dr. Marios Loukas celebrated graduates’ perseverance, recognizing their sacrifice and commitment to a higher purpose: serving others through medicine.
“Medicine is not merely a profession. It’s a noble pursuit. A calling to serve humanity and alleviate suffering,” he said in his remarks.
Rea Mae Azcueta, MD ’25, says she has always known she wanted to help people as part of her career, but going to med school was not part of her initial plan. Dr. Azcueta was set to enter the world of academia, having gotten her master’s degree. But a medical mission trip to the Philippines changed her outlook forever.
“I knew I was meant to become a doctor,” Dr. Azcueta says, who is originally from Milwaukee, WI. “It was such a pivotal moment for me to see how much you can help people, not just in the US, but all over the world and going to an international medical school really opened the doors for me.”
On a whim she applied to SGU and was accepted. She didn’t look back.
“SGU gave me the second opportunity that I didn’t know I had,” Dr. Azcueta says. “Now that I’m a doctor, I feel like the possibilities are endless.”
A Vision for Your Future
If you are considering a career in medicine, SGU’s annual commencement celebration will show you what is possible. More than graduation, it is a celebration of your transformation—of what you have accomplished and what lies ahead.
SGU students leave the University not just with degrees, but with a global perspective, a powerful network of peers and mentors, and the resilience to make a difference in the world.
As Dean Loukas said in his closing remarks: “To the Class of 2025, the world is waiting. Put your knowledge to work, put your technology to work, but above all put your heart to work. And if you ever doubt whether one determined physician can make a difference, remember the lesson this University has taught you from the very first day on the island—Yes, you can do it.”
Are You Ready to Start Your Medical Career?
Deciding to attend med school is one of the most important choices you will make, whether you have dreamed of being a doctor since childhood or recently found your passion through firsthand experiences.
St. George’s University is here to support your dream, offering guidance and resources from application to residency and beyond. From med school applications to board certification, read our free resource, Journey to MD.
