Welcoming our 2026 graduate student cohort
VCU School of Medicine’s newest certificate, master’s and Ph.D. students have arrived on the MCV Campus to begin their programs.
On Thursday, Aug. 13, the Kontos Auditorium was bustling with the kind of excitement and energy that only comes with the beginning of a school year. Roughly 150 new graduate students have arrived from all over the world to begin graduate-level programs across the full spectrum of biomedical sciences at VCU School of Medicine.
Some students are eager to join a lab and dig into a specific area of study on their way to a Master of Science or Ph.D., while others matriculated into the Premedical Graduate Health Sciences Certificate program, which helps students enhance their qualifications for medical or dental school. They look forward to careers as physicians, dentists, genetic counselors and principal investigators. The School of Medicine offers more than 20 graduate-level programs, making each of these pathways available to motivated students.
Stephen Kates, M.D., interim dean of the School of Medicine, welcomed the new students during their first-day orientation. He reminded them that research requires resilience, persistence and “a series of baby steps,” and making mistakes along the way is how they’ll learn and make meaningful discoveries.
“There’s never been a more important time for people to go into science and medicine than right now, and it’s our job to keep discovering things and solving problems,” Kates told the group. “You’ve chosen a great career and a great calling, and you’ve come to the right place.”
Before arriving on the MCV Campus, our new graduate students...
Worked as college tour guides, high school tutors, medical and surgical assistants, EMTs, TAs, lab directors, behavior technicians and genetic counseling assistants.
Volunteered for Crisis Text Line, raised a black lab puppy for Guide Dogs for the Blind and chartered a sorority chapter.
Completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees, defended undergraduate theses, received NIH fellowships, published papers and graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Became parents and pet parents.
Outside of preparing for graduate school, they...
Play tennis, volleyball and soccer, run marathons and half-marathons, compete in muay thai and go to the gym.
Collect vinyls, model horses, earrings, perfume and candles.
Enjoy traveling, hiking, trying specialty coffee, cooking and listening to German folk music.
Are photographers, videographers and public speakers.
Spend their free time playing card games, reading, coloring, journaling, cross-stitching and crocheting.
Can juggle while riding a unicycle.
As they begin graduate school, they are...
Excited to explore different labs, find volunteer opportunities and meet like-minded peers with similar goals.
Proud of pursuing their dreams of attending graduate school.
Eager to get to know Richmond and one another as their programs begin.