In May, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine held a historic commencement recognition for the medical student graduates of the Class of 2020. The ceremony was full of milestones. It was the school’s first virtual graduation due to COVID-19 safety protocols, coming in the school’s 50 th anniversary year, in which SIU bestowed its 3,000th medical degree upon a new physician. The global pandemic reminds us of the essential need for knowledgeable, well-trained physicians, who learn for a lifetime and readily adapt to change. A glimpse at our history shows how our graduates have