Commencement ceremonies are, by design, full of Pomp and Circumstance. There are speeches to deliver and diplomas to dispense. And, of course, there is an air of celebration and accomplishment for the graduates and their families and friends. The 2024 Medical School M.D. graduation ceremony had all of this, as well as an added layer of humor when William Flanary, M.D., a prolific writer of both medicine and comedy, delivered the Commencement address May 10 in Hill Auditorium.

An ophthalmologist and beloved comedian shares his thoughts on the field to aspiring clinicians.

When M4 Ahmad Hider crosses the stage at Hill Auditorium this week to receive his diploma and officially become Dr. Hider, like his fellow graduates he is excited about the future that awaits him in residency and beyond. As Hider becomes more fully immersed in the health care system, however, he also feels that many things need fixing. So, when he begins a residency in general surgery at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, he is preparing to for a dual role — becoming the best surgeon he can, and improving health care for patients.