Last week, we shared in the joy and pride as 21 graduating Alaska WWAMI students crossed the stage at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, officially earning their titles: Doctor of Medicine.
On May 22, 2026, we celebrated the Alaska WWAMI graduating Class of 2026 during the Physician’s Oath and Hooding Ceremony. The graduates are part of the 77th class to receive the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine and the 55th Alaska WWAMI graduating class.
Students selected Dr. Megan Ritter to deliver this year’s address to the graduating class. Dr. Ritter is a Professor of Medical Education for Alaska WWAMI, a Clinical Associate Professor of Pathology and the Medical Director for the Blood Bank of Alaska. In her remarks, she shared three guiding maxims with graduates as they begin their careers in medicine: we all make mistakes, medicine is an art, and medicine is a team sport. Her reflections captured the resilience, compassion and collaboration central to the practice of medicine and set the tone for a ceremony that honored not only the graduates’ remarkable achievements, but also the journeys and responsibilities that lie ahead.
We were honored to participate in hooding our graduating students and inspired to witness their enthusiasm as they recited the Physician’s Oath. Family members, friends and supporters shared in the emotion and excitement of this milestone occasion as they celebrated alongside the graduates. Please join us in recognizing the incredible accomplishments of the Alaska WWAMI Class of 2026! If you missed the ceremony or would like to relive this special event, you can watch a recording of the 2026 Physician’s Oath and Hooding or visit Instagram for more photos.
