Former provost to address Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine graduates

Cyril Clarke will return to a familiar stage, addressing graduates of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine as commencement speaker.

A longtime academic leader at Virginia Tech and former provost, Clarke brings more than a decade of close involvement with the school to the ceremony, which will take place Saturday, May 9, in Roanoke. In his role as provost, Clarke regularly served as the university’s representative at the medical school's graduation ceremonies. As this year’s keynote speaker, his remarks will reflect both that institutional perspective and the evolving role of medical education within the university’s growing health sciences enterprise.

Clarke said the opportunity to speak to medical school graduates is especially meaningful given his history with the program.

“I’ve been very closely affiliated with and committed to the School of Medicine,” he said, noting his connection dates back to his arrival at Virginia Tech in 2013 and continued through his tenure as provost, when the school reported to his office. 

That relationship is rooted in the school’s early development. As former dean of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Clarke was part of a college that helped support the medical school in its formative years, with faculty members contributing to the initial curriculum and collaborations centered on public health and the “One Health” concept linking human, animal, and environmental health. 

Over time, he said, the school has become a central part of Virginia Tech’s academic and strategic vision.

“The School of Medicine is a really particularly special unit in Virginia Tech,” Clarke said, pointing to the quality of its students, curriculum, and its role in advancing the university’s broader health sciences and research mission. 

In his remarks, Clarke plans to highlight key elements that distinguish the program, including its problem-based learning model and its integration of research throughout the curriculum. He said those approaches help prepare students to think critically and adapt in complex clinical environments.  

He will also emphasize the program’s competitiveness and outcomes, noting both the selectivity of admissions and the success graduates achieve in securing residency placements.

“They are special,” Clarke said. 

Dean Lee Learman said Clarke’s long-standing connection to the school and broader university makes him a fitting choice for this year’s speaker.

“Dr. Clarke has played an important role in the growth of the School of Medicine and understands the strength of our program and our students,” Learman said. “He understands how our innovative curriculum embraces the tripartite mission of education, research, and service to create opportunities for our graduates to shape the future of healthcare.”

Alongside those themes, Clarke said he plans to offer a broader perspective on the challenges experienced by the healthcare system that graduates are entering, including insights drawn from his own experiences as a patient. While he does not expect new physicians to solve systemic challenges on their own, he hopes to encourage them to make a difference through their daily interactions with patients.

At the same time, he emphasized that even as technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform medicine, the role of physicians will remain essential.

“Good physicians are never going to be replaced by AI,” Clarke said, pointing to the importance of human judgment, relationships, and the ability to synthesize complex information in patient care.

Clarke said his remarks will ultimately focus on preparing graduates for both the responsibilities and opportunities ahead.

“They may not remember everything I say,” he said, “but I hope they remember what it means to be a physician.”