NYU School of Medicine held its graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 18, at Alice Tully Hall, celebrating the accomplishments and success of 177 new physicians. “This class represents a significant milestone in the 175-year history of the School of Medicine,” said Robert I. Grossman, MD, the Saul J. Farber Dean and CEO of NYU Langone Medical Center. The keynote address was delivered by Judith “Judy” Faulkner, CEO and founder of Epic Systems. Her remarks focused on the unexpected challenges and opportunities the graduates will encounter in their lives.

About the Class of 2016

The Class of 2016 is comprised of 177 students, all receiving Doctor of Medicine degrees. The class included the first cohort of students graduating from the Three-Year MD Pathway.

The Three-Year MD Pathway was developed as a key objective in the School of Medicine’s Curriculum for the 21st Century initiative. This initiative allows medical students an individualized pathway to medical education, enabling them to customize their program. The Three-Year MD Pathway provides an accelerated track and offers guaranteed acceptance into the residency program at NYU Langone.

Additionally, 22 students received dual degrees, including:

• six dual Doctor of Medicine/Master of Science degrees
• one dual Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health degree
• three dual Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Administration degrees
• seven dual Doctor of Medicine/Master of Business Administration degrees
• five Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MD/PhD) degrees through the Medical Scientist Training Program
• nine degrees were conferred with honors, and 29 members of the class were inducted to Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society

About Judy Faulkner

Judy Faulkner is the CEO and founder of Epic Systems, a healthcare IT company whose electronic health record software is used in hospitals and health providers across the country and around the world. She received her bachelor of science in mathematics from Dickinson College and master's degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin and began teaching. After teaching computer science for several years in the University of Wisconsin system she worked as a healthcare software developer, creating one of the first databases organized around a patient record. In 1979 she founded Epic in a basement apartment with $70,000 in start-up money and one and a half employees.

Without venture capital or going public, Epic has grown from its modest beginnings as a clinical database company to its current position as a leading provider of integrated healthcare software.

KLAS, a healthcare-focused research firm, rates Epic as the No. 1 Overall Software Suite in their “Best in KLAS” Software and Services report. Judy currently serves on the University of Wisconsin Computer Science Board of Visitors and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine’s Roundtable. She has pledged that 99 percent of her assets will go to philanthropy.

About the Ceremony

Following the procession and introductions by Anthony J. Grieco, MD, associate dean for alumni relations and academic events, class president Sumit Kumar, MD, delivered the valediction. Kenneth G. Langone, chair of the Board of Trustees at NYU Langone, and William R. Berkley, chair of the NYU Board of Trustees, greeted the graduates. Next, the new president of NYU, Andrew Hamilton, welcomed and congratulated the students, commending them on their accomplishments. Dean Grossman, reflecting on his own path to medicine, reminded the Class of 2016 that above all they should strive to remain empathetic, professional, and intellectually curious, and to seek out the work that will bring them happiness in their future careers.

The conferring of degrees by Dean Grossman, Steven B. Abramson, MD, vice dean for education, faculty, and academic affairs, and Lynn M. Buckvar-Keltz, MD, associate dean for student affairs, took place directly after Judy Faulkner delivered the keynote address. Dr. Grossman then administered the Hippocratic Oath, concluding the graduation ceremony.

Media Inquiries

Rob Magyar
Phone: 212-404-3591
robert.magyar@nyumc.org