FSU graduates 121 new doctors

Florida State University College of Medicine awarded degrees to 121 new physicians on May 16, sending its Class of 2026 from commencement into residency training after this year’s match cycle. The ceremony took place at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall in Tallahassee, according to the university. FSU said the graduating class entered the hall as students and left as doctors, joined in the recessional by seven graduates from its Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences-Bridge to Clinical Medicine program. The university’s medical school had already reported in March that all Class of 2026 students seeking residency positions matched. ### Where do these 121 graduates go next? March 20 was the date FSU medical students learned where they would continue training, the next required step after medical school. Florida State said the Class of 2026 posted a 100% match rate among graduates seeking residency positions. The 2026 specialty breakdown shows 29 students matched in internal medicine, 15 in psychiatry, 13 in pediatrics and 12 in family medicine, according to the College of Medicine’s residency match results page. Eleven matched in general surgery, and smaller groups entered emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, radiology and other specialties. (med.fsu.edu) FSU said almost half of the class matched in Florida programs. The university reported in March that 59 graduates, or a little more than 47%, would remain in the state for residency, while 39 matched elsewhere in the Southeast. ### What did the commencement ceremony include besides the M.D. class? (med.fsu.edu) May 16 was also a milestone for seven students in the Bridge to Clinical Medicine master’s program. FSU said those graduates will begin in 10 days as members of the incoming M.D. Class of 2030. Ruby Diamond Concert Hall was the site of the medical school ceremony, separate from FSU’s broader spring commencement events earlier in May. (news.fsu.edu) The university said more than 8,900 degrees were awarded across FSU during spring 2026 ceremonies held May 1 and May 2 at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. (news.fsu.edu) ### Which specialties drew the largest share of the class? Internal medicine was the largest single category with 29 matches, followed by psychiatry with 15, pediatrics with 13 and family medicine with 12, according to FSU’s published 2026 match table. General surgery accounted for 11 matches, and emergency medicine accounted for seven. Primary care remained a large share of the class. (news.fsu.edu) FSU said 54 students, or 47%, matched in primary care specialties excluding obstetrics and gynecology. ### How does this class compare with recent FSU medical classes? The 2026 graduating class of 121 was larger than FSU’s 2025 class of 113 and 2024 class of 110, based on the medical school’s match results archive. (med.fsu.edu) The 2023 class totaled 125 graduates. Last year’s commencement story also placed the medical school ceremony at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall and said the college graduated 113 new physicians in 2025. (med.fsu.edu) That ceremony included eight Bridge to Clinical Medicine graduates who were set to enter the M.D. Class of 2029. (med.fsu.edu) ### Who led the ceremony and what was said? Dr. Anthony Speights delivered the commencement speech, according to FSU’s May 16 account of the ceremony. The university’s report identified him as the featured speaker for the event. Alma Littles, dean of the College of Medicine, had appeared at Match Day in March as students opened residency placements. (news.fsu.edu) FSU’s coverage of that event described residency as the next stage of medical education leading to board certification and a license to practice medicine in a chosen specialty. (news.fsu.edu) In the next step for the graduates, residency programs begin this summer at hospitals and training sites identified in the March 20 match. For the seven Bridge to Clinical Medicine graduates, FSU said the next milestone comes in 10 days, when they join the M.D. Class of 2030. (news.fsu.edu 1) (news.fsu.edu 2)