Joe G.N. "Skip" Garcia, M.D., delivers 2026 Doctoral Commencement Address

Joe G.N. "Skip" Garcia, M.D., a renowned pulmonary physician scientist and pioneer of advanced therapies for lung disease, delivered the keynote speech at the 2026 Doctoral Commencement Ceremony held April 30 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Here are his remarks as prepared for delivery.

 

Thank you President Landry. 

Distinguished faculty, proud family members, esteemed guests and most importantly the extraordinary graduating Doctorate class of 2026: it is a profound honor and privilege to celebrate this long-anticipated milestone with you. 

This milestone not only marks the culmination of your rigorous academic journey but also represents your powerful transition to serve as the next generation of scholars, innovators, educators and scientists. 

And while your accomplishments thus far are indeed remarkable, they represent only the beginning of the profound impact you will make on the world. 

Because today you are not just receiving a diploma – you are embracing a lifelong calling that will demand you to lead with integrity and empathy, to think critically, to act ethically, and to pursue knowledge with unrelenting curiosity. 

So, over the next few minutes please let me share a few personal reflections that have shaped my own professional journey in the hope that they may resonate with you as you embark upon your own path. 

Now, central to these reflections is the incredible privilege that I have had in pursuing a career as a physician-scientist. 

A physician-scientist embodies a unique blend of both clinical medical training and research acumen. 

It is someone who stands both at the bedside and at the laboratory bench, able to translate clinical observations into research questions with the hope to apply these discoveries to advance human health. 

This career has brought me immense purpose and fulfillment as it has allowed me to care for my patients, mentor the brightest minds of the next generation and to generate new knowledge and therapies that may one day reduce human suffering. 

As President Landry mentioned, I have founded a biotech company, Aqualung Therapeutics, that is based upon a discovery that we made in my lab when I was Chief of Pulmonary Medicine at Johns Hopkins. Twenty years later, we have now developed a novel drug, a monoclonal antibody, that is currently in clinical trials with the promise to help patients with critical ICU illnesses, as well as folks with inflammatory autoimmune diseases and cancer. 

I suppose that this suggests that I have been at least modestly successful as a physician scientist, but let me say that I never envisioned this path for myself. 

Many assume physician scientists hold both MD and PhD degrees, but in truth many of us, including myself, fall into the “late bloomer” category – as I never encountered research while in high school, college, or medical school. I had not even heard of the term “physician-scientist.” 

For me, choosing a career in medicine began during my preteen summers where I worked in the strawberry and lettuce fields of coastal California. 

I worked alongside migrant farmworkers where I witnessed profound inequity but an inspiring resilience that ignited a desire for me to become a physician. 

As a result, all through my college and medical school years I had envisioned myself as becoming a rural family physician… you know… being the family doc in Buzzard’s Breath, Texas or some such locale. 

However, I chose to do a residency in internal medicine where I met passionate pulmonary and critical care physician scientists who lit a spark within me. They did not just tell me to follow their path; they showed me what was possible. 

So this brings me to the first point I want to offer you today – that it is perfectly okay to have a career pivot. 

Pivots are not signs of confusion – they are indicators of evolution and growth. We all know that society often glorifies linear trajectories – titles, timelines, five-year plans – but I assure you that your career path will be anything but a straight line. 

You will forge a powerful path that is reflective of your own curiosity, resilience, and desire for growth, and this very often involves a pivot. 

My next point involves the importance of seeking out high quality mentors to help you navigate your pivot. 

I advise you to energetically seek out exceptional scientists, scholars or industry experts, who have walked the road ahead, and who have confronted both success and failure. 

The right mentor will not only teach you technical skills – they will offer perspective, and reassurance as to your potential. 

Surround yourself with those who are invested in your success – not only because of your talent – but also because of your work ethic, your integrity and your values. Make yourself someone worth believing in. 

The next point I wish to share is accentuated by a quote I cherish from Dr. Harvey Cushing, the father of neurosurgery for whom Cushing’s Disease is named, which stems from a tumor in the pituitary gland. 

Dr. Cushing’s quote, quite remarkable for a neurosurgeon, is that “A physician is obligated to consider more than a diseased organ, more even than the whole man – he must view the man in his world.” 

And to me this quote speaks to the deep responsibility that experts such as yourselves have to their community. You must realize that society continues to hold healthcare professionals, scientists, scholars, and experts in all fields in high regard, and you will be assuming the unsolicited role as a community leader, mentor and role model. 

Your voice will carry weight. People will listen – not just for what you know, but because of who you are. You will have a platform that can lift communities. The quality and style of your leadership in that endeavor will evolve over time, but I assure you that it will leave a lasting mark. 

Now there are quite a number of leadership frameworks and styles that exist – however, none are a guarantee for success. I believe that the most powerful leadership emerges from the heart. 

A phrase that has long guided me in my own leadership journey is, “A leader is a dealer of hope.” 

Now in full disclosure, I must share that the author of this sentiment is Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Emperor and autocrat whose end was not particularly glorious. 

Nevertheless, the idea remains significant and being a “dealer of hope” has fit with my own persona and leadership style and I believe this has allowed me to conduct myself with professionalism and humility. 

Now it has been said that “Setting an example is not the main means to influencing others; it is the only means.” Actions do speak louder than words, and your participation as a leader and mentor means someone is always observing you and, whether you realize it or not, you are shaping the next generation of community leaders. 

Be the leader and mentor who generously shares their time and provides that much needed encouragement. A well-timed conversation – or a moment of advocacy – these can truly alter someone’s life path. Trust me, successful mentoring will provide you lasting fulfillment. 

Another vital point I wanted to touch upon today is that your education does not conclude with graduation. In your new career you must embrace the mindset of a lifelong learner – one who exhibits boundless curiosity. 

Everyone here realizes that we are living in extraordinary times where advancements in artificial intelligence, personalized medicine, engineering and other fields are rapidly reshaping our world. Probably nothing emphasizes the rapidly shifting landscape of medicine and science better than the emerging role that AI is playing in enabling a new era in medicine and revolutionizing healthcare. 

AI algorithms are already outperforming physicians in interpreting chest X rays, CT scans and biopsy results. AI has the capacity to integrate immense and diverse data sources to provide novel insights that humans simply cannot compile as quickly or effectively. 

That said, I want to stress that embracing lifelong learning is not just learning about how to harness AI. For me lifelong learning also means assimilating key information from your daily experiences. 

This reminds me that the three prominent neurodegenerative disorders encountered today – Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s – are named for three simple physicians practicing in their communities whose curiosity and observant nature led to groundbreaking insights. 

A more contemporary example is Dr. Irving Selikoff, who was a family physician in Paterson, New Jersey with his family office located down the street from a nearby insulation manufacturing plant. As the family doctor for the insulators union, he began to notice that a relatively large number of these workers were developing lung cancer and a supposedly rare illness called mesothelioma. Long story short, it was Dr. Selikoff who made the seminal observations from his everyday practice that led to recognition of the important health hazard of asbestos exposure, and despite enormous industry pressure, he championed the legislation that ultimately led to improved worker safety. 

So today, Doctoral graduates, you stand at a threshold that is both an ending and a beginning, but in a world that is in significant disrepair. You must take the lessons you have learned here –persistence, humility, collaboration and curiosity – and use them to be catalysts for impactful change, to be bold creators of innovative solutions. 

Be the purposeful and compassionate leader who strives to make a difference in addressing the pressing challenges of our time health, climate, justice, and the unknown questions that will define future generations. 

As Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Be mindful of the societal context of your career work and make the next chapter count. 

So, as I conclude my remarks to all of you this unbelievably accomplished graduating class, I am reminded of a saying from my hometown of El Paso, in the vast spaces of West Texas. 

The saying goes like this: If you are driving down an old, dusty West Texas road and you see a turtle sitting on a fence post, you know one thing for sure - it had to have had a lot of help to get there. 

This has certainly been true for me – and I am certain that this resonates with each one of you. So, as you stand at the pinnacle of this momentous occasion, please take a moment to honor the collective strength, love, and determination of those who have stood beside you – your spouses, partners, parents, siblings, friends, advisors, mentors and silent champions. Remember their belief and investment in you is what fueled your journey and provided the foundation for your success. 

So, with that – Doctoral Class of 2026 – I want to thank you for allowing me to share this moment with you. It has been an honor to be a small part of your incredible journey. 

Please go forth with courage – the world awaits your insights, your ideas, your discoveries and your hearts. 

And I for one cannot wait to see where your paths will lead you. Thank you.