Commencement Keynote Speaker: Dr. Susan Pepin

Nationally recognized surgeon, clinician, medical educator and researcher Susan Pepin, MD, MPH, will share her journey through medicine as keynote speaker at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Class of 2018 commencement ceremony May 7.

Dr. Pepin is president and CEO of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and a leader in the field of neuro-ophthalmology and medical education who has dedicated her career to improving people’s lives.

“Dr. Pepin is a distinguished physician and educator who can give our students a unique perspective on their future roles as physicians in improving the health of our communities,” said UA College of Medicine – Phoenix Dean Guy Reed, MD, MS.

“As the Class of 2018 becomes physicians and enter their residencies, we celebrate their hard work and achievements,” Dean Reed said. “We know that they will make a difference in so many lives through skilled, compassionate care, innovation and leadership.”

As president and CEO of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Dr. Pepin leads the trust’s vision for supporting Maricopa County by advancing community resilience, addressing inequity and enhancing health and well-being for all. As a champion of strengthening communities through systems-approach thinking and collective action, she has established large-scale efforts such as the Advancing Community Resilience Partnership, which engages people and organizations to tackle pressing issues, and Eyes On Learning, a statewide initiative working to expand children’s vision health needs.

The Piper Trust supports groups whose goals are to enhance arts and culture, children, education, health care and medical research, older adults and religious organizations.

Dr. Pepin previously served as associate dean for Diversity and Inclusion and associate professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College.

This year’s commencement will begin at 3:30 p.m. Monday, May 7 at Symphony Hall in downtown Phoenix. In keeping with the tradition of the college, faculty and graduating medical students will be led by a bagpipe band as they process in full regalia from the Phoenix Biomedical Campus to Symphony Hall.

Graduation marks the completion of the students’ medical school journey, where they are formally awarded their doctor of medicine degrees, signaling the beginning of the next stage of their careers.

One third of this year’s class of 82 will stay in Arizona for their residency training, while 53 students will train outside of the state at prestigious programs such as UCLA Medical Center, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Vanderbilt University Medical School and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Twenty-eight students will pursue primary care fields, the most critical shortage facing Arizona.