Graduating Class 2026 of NY/American School of Medicine Program

The American School of Medicine at the Gray Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences Tel Aviv University Class of 2026 graduation took place on May 18, 2026 on the TAU campus. Thirty-eight medical students became MDs and will be pursuing residences in the US, Canada & Israel. Introductions were made by the Dean and Director of the Program, Prof. Karen Avraham; Vice Rector, Prof. Gal Oestreicher-Singer; Executive Trustee, Dr. Tom Tracy (by video); Director of the Clinical Years, Prof. Aaron Allen; Director of Administration and Registrar, Tami Lipkin-Zur. Many academic and administrative faculty, as well as alumni, joined. Photos of all the graduating classes since 1981 were shown on poster stands in the lobby. 

Tami received a Certificate of Appreciation for her years of service for the Program, as well as a special recognition to Galit Shilo. And we acknowledged Leah Zinder, who beautifully MC’d the graduation for many years. 

Excerpts from Prof. Karen Avraham's speech: Welcome to an extraordinary evening. Tonight, we celebrate the Class of 2026 as 38 of you begin your journey as physicians. We also honor 40 remarkable years of medical education, during which this program has provided generations of American and Canadian students the opportunity to pursue their MD degrees at Tel Aviv University in Israel. What began in 1976 as an innovative effort to train American students as physicians and help address the physician shortage in New York State grew into a model of international medical education. 

Yours is a generation of students that has faced immense challenges. Many of you performed your first degrees during a worldwide pandemic and the last four years have been interlaced with tragic and painful wars. You navigated these years with remarkable strength and determination - attending classes, taking exams, and completing clinical rotations while sometimes running to bomb shelters several times a day. I believe these experiences have given you a resilience and maturity that will serve you exceptionally well throughout your careers as physicians. You also completed your medical rotations here and in the United States over the past year, gaining firsthand exposure to some of the most advanced and innovative models of patient care, clinical training, and medical technologies. This unique experience has given you not only clinical knowledge, but also a broader perspective on global medicine, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the future of healthcare.

Today, more than 2,000 graduates of this program have gone on to distinguished careers in medicine and research across the United States, Canada, and Israel. Upon returning home, our alumni have remained passionate ambassadors for the State of Israel and devoted supporters of Tel Aviv University. Some of you have chosen to build your lives and careers in Israel, and we are proud to have you as part of our medical and scientific community. 

Just as importantly, our alumni have built a strong and enduring professional community - one that supports and mentors each new generation as they navigate the complexities of medical careers. In fact, this spirit of mutual support begins while students are still in medical school, helping one another secure residencies and take their first steps into the profession.