“Stay curious, stay adaptable and never underestimate the power of mentorship.”
That was the message physician-scientist Joe G.N. “Skip” Garcia, M.D., shared with the University of Florida’s doctoral Class of 2026 during this spring’s commencement ceremony. Garcia is associate director for research at the University of Florida, and director of the Center for Inflammation Science and Systems Medicine at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute.
Speaking directly to graduates preparing to enter the next chapter of their careers, Garcia reflected on his own unexpected path into research and the mentors who helped shape his journey. He encouraged students to embrace uncertainty, continue learning, and lead with purpose as science and medicine rapidly evolve through advances in artificial intelligence, precision medicine and emerging technologies. Read the full transcript of Dr. Garcia’s remarks here.
The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute is home to two distinguished doctoral programs: The Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, operated by Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, and the University of Florida Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences.
Learn more about pursuing your doctorate at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute.