- Gullas College of Medicine’s 46th convocation becomes a powerful celebration of global medical education
- More than 700 Indian graduates join peers from Nepal, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and other nations at grand ceremony
- Edwin Jubahib confers degrees; academic leaders urge graduates to blend medical excellence with compassion
- From classrooms in the Philippines to healthcare frontlines across the world, a new generation of doctors begins its journey
NE EDUCATION BUREAU
CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES, AUG 30
A thousand dreams walked across the stage, degrees in hand, as 1,006 medical graduates stepped out of the Gullas College of Medicine to begin a journey that promises to take them far beyond the lecture halls of Cebu—into hospitals, communities and healthcare systems across the globe.
The grand 46th convocation ceremony of Gullas College of Medicine, held at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City on Friday, turned into a vibrant celebration of achievement, diversity and the universal calling of medicine, with more than 700 Indian students among the graduating cohort.
The ceremony brought together graduating students and their families, dignitaries, academic leaders and medical professionals, transforming the occasion into much more than a formal conferring of degrees—it was a symbolic passage from medical education to professional responsibility.
One graduating class, many nations, one calling
The graduating cohort reflected the increasingly international character of Gullas College of Medicine, with students from India, Nepal, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and several other countries receiving their degrees.
The presence of more than 700 Indian graduates gave the ceremony a particularly strong Indian dimension, underscoring the institution’s continuing appeal among Indian students seeking medical education overseas.
The college itself describes GCM as a global hub of medical education with students from 25-plus countries, reinforcing its international academic character.
The latest graduation also comes against the backdrop of the institution’s recent performance in international medical licensing examinations. GCM said 251 of its graduates cleared the January 2026 Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), with graduate Dr Dabgar Niravkumar Kalidas securing All India Rank 2.
Gov. Jubahib congratulates the new doctors
Gov. Edwin Jubahib, Governor of Davao del Norte, graced the convocation as the distinguished guest and congratulated the graduating students on reaching a landmark in their academic journey.
He extended his best wishes to the young doctors as they embark on their professional careers, carrying with them the knowledge, discipline and values acquired during their medical education.
The conferring of degrees by the Governor added ceremonial significance to an occasion already charged with emotion, pride and anticipation as graduates celebrated alongside their families and mentors.
‘Medicine is not merely a profession but a responsibility’
Addressing the graduating doctors, Dr David K. Pillai, Chairman of Kings International Medical Academy, urged them to look beyond the professional status associated with a medical degree and recognise the deeper social responsibility that comes with being a doctor.
He urged the young medicos to treat medicine not merely as a profession but as a responsibility towards society, while stressing the importance of professional excellence, lifelong learning and compassionate patient care.
His message struck at the heart of the profession: medical knowledge may open the door to a career, but empathy, integrity and an unwavering commitment to patients define the doctor behind the degree.
Indian medical graduates add a distinctive dimension
The participation of more than 700 Indian graduates in a single graduating batch emerged as one of the defining features of the ceremony.
For the young Indian doctors, the convocation marked the culmination of years of medical study in the Philippines and the beginning of another demanding phase—translating academic knowledge into clinical competence and patient-centred healthcare.
The growing presence of Indian students is also reflected in the college’s current international admissions profile. GCM and associated admissions information highlight the substantial Indian student community and the institution’s orientation towards international medical education
Distinguished Indian medical presence
The ceremony was also attended by Kathreena K. Pillai, Deputy Chief Executive Consultant of Gullas College of Medicine, and Dr Karthik Raj Manoharan, distinguished Indian medical professional and Program Director, Liver Transplant Anaesthesia & Critical Care, M.I.O.T. International Hospitals, Chennai.
They conveyed their greetings and best wishes to the graduating students as they prepared to enter the next chapter of their medical careers.
For families who had travelled, supported and waited through years of rigorous study, the conferring of each degree became a deeply personal moment—a culmination of sacrifice and a celebration of a dream finally taking shape.
From graduation gowns to the real world of medicine
The ceremony concluded on a jubilant note as 1,006 newly graduated doctors stepped into the next phase of their professional journey.
Their degrees may have been conferred in Cebu, but the destinations of their medical careers are likely to span continents and communities.
For many, the road ahead will involve licensing examinations, internships, postgraduate training and specialisation. For others, it will lead directly into healthcare practice and service.
But the central message of the 46th convocation remained universal: a medical degree is not the destination—it is the beginning of a lifelong commitment to healing, learning and serving humanity.
As the graduates left the ceremonial stage, they carried more than academic credentials. They carried the expectations of their families, the confidence of their teachers and, above all, the immense responsibility that comes with being entrusted with human lives.
