Celebrating Achievements and Looking Ahead
I hope everyone is enjoying the summer after a busy spring of achievements for our College.
We celebrated the graduates of the Class of 2026 at Commencement at the Academy of Music in May. More than 600 students, including the first graduates from our Elkins Park Campus to attend a College of Medicine Commencement, were honored. The event also included an inspiring address from Nobel Laureate Katalin Karikó, PhD.
Commencement season also includes an opportunity to celebrate the excellence that makes our community so special. My congratulations to the faculty and professional staff who were recognized with induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and the Gold Humanism Honor Society; to those who received Golden Apple awards, Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Clinical Teaching and Dean’s Excellence Awards in Research and Service; and those named as Philadelphia magazine 2026 Top Docs. Faculty and graduate students were also honored at a Pre-Commencement Awards Ceremony, recognizing their excellence in mentoring, teaching and research.
The College of Medicine’s College Forward and Strategic Plan 2030 process continues to make strides ahead. An Artificial Intelligence Taskforce has been formed to explore more deeply the implications of its use in the areas of education, research, clinical care and faculty affairs. The Graduate School has transitioned to graduate programs within the College of Medicine — a strategic shift toward a more unified, student-centered model of education that brings together biomedical sciences, health professions and interdisciplinary programs under one academic umbrella. Drexel Health continues to unite clinical operations across Drexel University into a single, collaborative structure. By aligning clinical care, interprofessional education and research innovation, Drexel Health will strengthen patient outcomes, enhance student learning and expand community impact.
At the time of this writing, search committees have been working diligently to recommend permanent chairs to several departments. I am honored to work with such esteemed and talented faculty who are committed to the future of our institution and its missions.
As we welcome our new students, I feel energized for our next academic year and look forward to witnessing the growth, innovations and achievements of our College of Medicine community.
Charles B. Cairns, MD
Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Dean
Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs
Senior Vice President, Drexel Health Operations
