A few weeks ago, I had the honor of placing the academic hood on my younger sister at her medical school graduation. It was a very meaningful moment — not because of anything I did, but because of what it represented: the welcoming of another physician into our family, and into a profession that has shaped four generations of us.
The Hooding Ceremony
For those unfamiliar, the hooding ceremony is a tradition that dates back centuries, with roots in the academic ceremonies of medieval European universities. At medical school graduation, each new physician is presented with a doctoral hood — a colored, satin-lined garment draped over the shoulders — by a mentor, family member, or another physician of their choosing. The hood itself is a symbol of the academic degree being conferred, and the moment it is placed marks the formal transition from medical student to physician.
It is a brief moment — a few seconds on a stage — but it carries a great deal of weight. With it comes the symbolic transfer of the rights and responsibilities of being a doctor: the privilege of caring for patients, and the obligation to do so with skill, honesty, and humility.
Four Generations of Physicians
What made the moment especially meaningful was the family history standing behind it. My sister becomes the fourth generation of physicians in our family. My great-grandfather, grandfather, and several uncles were physicians before me. And now my sister is one too.
Four generations is a long thread, and each generation has practiced in a different era of medicine — from the small-town general practice of the early twentieth century to the highly subspecialized world we work in today. The tools, the science, and the systems have all changed enormously. What has not changed is the underlying ethos: “to cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always.”
Following the Same Path — and the Same Program
There is one more layer to this special day that I find genuinely exciting: my sister is entering dermatology, the same specialty I chose. Furthermore, she will be doing her residency at the University of Iowa — the same program where I trained. The odds of any one sibling choosing the same field were already small, and the odds of landing at the same institution smaller still. To see her step into both is something I never quite expected.
Iowa is a wonderful program, and I know the faculty and the city will take good care of her. She is going to learn from some of the same mentors who shaped my own training, walk the same halls, and maybe even treat some of my former patients. I am looking forward to comparing notes over the next few years.
A Proud Older Brother
It is hard to overstate how proud I am of her. Medical school is long and difficult, and matching into dermatology is competitive. She pulled it off while maintaining her presence as a mother and wife. I am lucky to have been the one standing next to her on stage when the hood went on.
Welcome to the profession! The family business is in great hands.