Geisel School of Medicine Welcomes the MD Class of 2027

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Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock welcomes the Geisel School of Medicine MD Class of 2027.

Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock joined Duane Compton, PhD, dean of the Geisel School of Medicine, in welcoming the Geisel School of Medicine's MD Class of 2027.

A cognitive scientist who studies performance anxiety, President Beilock shared her thoughts on being new to a community. "As most of you know, I'm new to Dartmouth and to the Upper Valley, and I suspect we're experiencing many of the same feelings. Excitement. More than a little nervousness. A lot of uncertainty about what's in store for us in the months and years ahead," she said. "If you're anything like me, you're also probably experiencing a certain degree of self-doubt, wondering if you belong here. You may even feel like a fraud. 

"I can tell you it's perfectly natural. And whenever I take on a new role in a new place, I feel it, too." 

Reassuring the medical students that everyone has self-doubts, Beilock said it is ok to have worries, to question yourself, and to feel uncomfortable, because these are significant aspects of learning. She encouraged them to remember and celebrate that they are doing exactly what they came to Dartmouth to do—to potentially become leaders in the field of medicine, to initiate advances that will lead to breakthrough discoveries, and to improve the human condition. 

"You're in luck and frankly, so am I because there's no better place than Dartmouth to do it! Your journey here will be challenging, rewarding and, at times, downright difficult, as any worthwhile journey should be," Beilock said. "Know that as a community, we're excited to see where it takes you and we are here to support you every step of the way." Read more.