Graduation Speech
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©1993-2007

I was the class President for our Medical School (Wayne State University) for 3 years; I also had the privilege of speaking at our graduation.  Here is what I wrote for that event... of course, things changed as soon as I got up to the stage.    I found that the prior speaker, Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, had used the same quote from Mr. Emerson!!!!!! (Talk about a little stress!)  I did well, and look back very fondly on my years there.

 

Graduation Speech

Class of 1996 Wayne State University School of Medicine

 Jim P. Getzinger, MD, MS

I never used to like graduations.  To me, they always marked an ending, an ending for many close relationships developed over the time together. It marked a time when you should be ‘getting‑on’ with your life; going out into the ‘real‑world’; a time when all of your friends would be leaving to pursue their lives and careers.

I now know that graduation in not an ending, but a beginning.  It marks not the end of relationships, but chances to make new ones.  We should build upon those friendships forged here; not forget them.  And, believe it or not, you have already been in a  ‘real world.’   You have been running your own business over these past years... You have been dealing with deadlines; with money management; with time management.   The final product of which, is you.

Our years here at Wayne State started out fairly benign.  We met at orientation, picked up our first set of notes.  In hindsight, I realize that I had absolutely no clue what I was getting into.  My first shock was when I almost threw my back out picking up the old scribes!

Gross Anatomy was a bit of a shock too... that smell... how it stuck to your books, your clothes, everything.  Try as you might, you could not escape it.  It had a life of its own. 

Soon followed Histology, Biochemistry, Physiology... all those slides of tissues, enzymes, and pathways made us dizzy, but we learned it.  We thought, “how can much of this really apply to the practice of medicine?” 

We all thought second year was going to be better than first year, right?  More clinically relevant material?  True, it was, but we also found out that they were taking it easy on us during first year.  Now was the time to get down to some serious studying, in preparation for the upcoming Boards.

Ah... Studying for boards...  What fond memories... how calm we all were.  How well prepared we found ourselves.    More than once had I thought of putting Valium into the water supply.  We were insane!  Every year, classes ahead look back on upcoming classes and think  were we that anal retentive?’  They try to think not, but they were.  Stressed or not, we were all happy to be done with Boards.

Third year was fun.  We got a chance to get out and actually  do’ things.  Even though these things we got to  do’ usually ended up being rectals...  We found out the real meaning of the phrase  things roll downhill.’

Fourth year, finally!  You’re on top of the world!  Now was your time to decide what you wanted to do with your life.  What field will it be?  Some of us knew long ago.  Some of us still don’t know.  Whatever the choice, we got down to the job of applying for residencies, then interviewing, then submitting our match lists to finally find out what and where we would be going.  Well, now we know.

In hindsight, it seems that these four years of school flew by. (Although I seem to recall that those months on surgery didn’t seem to fly!)  We experienced a lot.  We laughed together.  We cried together.  We cursed our pathophysiology together.  All of our time was planned out for us.  Now it is up to us to make our way.

Words of advice?  There are so many I would like to give you. Never lose your compassion.  Never see a patient just as a disease, a race, a sexual orientation, but as a person.  The measure of your skill rests not only in your mind, but in your heart.  I think they all boil down to one common theme: “Be the best you can be at whatever you do, and in doing so you will make the world greater.”

Throughout my years I have told several motivational stories, most notably is one we affectionately call the  Starfish Story,’ which deals with individuals making a difference in lives, no matter how small.  Today I would like to share a bit of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s sage advice on success:

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden path, or a redeemed social condition;  to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  This is to have succeeded.”

A few minutes ago, a transformation took place.  We stood up, walked across this stage, received a diploma, and walked down those stairs—Forever changed.

While all moms, dads, husbands, wives, kids, brothers, sisters, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, and friends looked on, they saw a brand new person.  You went from a student of this university to a student of life, ready and wanting to meet the future.

As I look out into your faces, I wish there were words that could express the pride I feel in seeing every one of you, knowing that you will soon be going out into that world and succeeding like no one before.

I would like to introduce Dr. Carl Christensen, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, to administer the oath to our Class. (Pause)...Dr. Christensen.  (Shake hands).