UTRGV School of Medicine welcomes largest-ever class of Rio Grande Valley students this Saturday

By Heriberto Perez–Zuñiga

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – JULY 20, 2026 – The UTRGV School of Medicine's Class of 2030 will make history as the university welcomes its largest-ever class of students from the Rio Grande Valley. Selected from more than 5,000 applicants, 56 future physicians will receive their white coats during the annual White Coat Ceremony on Saturday, July 25.

The incoming class is the largest in school history to hail from the Rio Grande Valley, with 34 students, or 62% of the class calling the region home. The event celebrates this milestone in medicine, which, for many students, represents years of perseverance and a commitment to serving the communities that shaped them.

The White Coat Ceremony, held at the Performing Arts Complex (PAC) in Edinburg at 10 a.m., symbolizes students’ formal entry into the medical profession and their commitment to compassionate, ethical patient care.

The incoming class earned degrees from institutions across the country, including Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, The University of Texas at Austin, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and UTRGV.

INSPIRED BY SERVICE

Among the incoming students is Claudia Hernandez, a UTRGV alumna and former intensive care unit (ICU) nurse whose decision to pursue medicine was shaped by her upbringing and the patients she cared for.

"My parents are from Mexico, and my mom worked laborious jobs to support our family," Hernandez said. "She showed me the values of hard work, sacrifice and endurance. I want to show that people from humble backgrounds can also be in charge and be positive role models."

That inspiration carried the Harlingen native through nursing and now into medicine, where she hopes to address the health challenges she witnessed firsthand as an ICU nurse. 

"I saw a lot of people suffering from diseases that could have been prevented, a lot of amputations and a lot of cardiac arrests," Hernandez said. "I feel like being part of the UTRGV School of Medicine, I'm able to make a difference in the future and change that."

FINDING PURPOSE

Incoming student Hamza Waheed of Dallas said he hopes to approach medicine with a sense of purpose, striving to make a meaningful difference in the lives of his future patients.

"I want to come out every day feeling like I truly made a difference. I feel like I have a job here on this earth, and that job is to help others," Waheed said.

A psychology graduate from The University of Texas at Dallas, Waheed said he chose the UTRGV School of Medicine after visiting campus for his interview and realizing it was the right fit. The son of a physician, he said his father's career first sparked his interest in medicine. As he begins medical school, Waheed said he carries with him a deep appreciation for the family, mentors and others who encouraged him along the way.

"I never see getting accepted into medical school as something I did on my own," he said. "So many people went out of their way to help me get here.

A CAREER DEDICATED TO SERVICE

This year's keynote speaker is Dr. Carlos Ayala, a double board-certified otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon who has dedicated his career to expanding healthcare access in South Texas.

A Bronx native and military veteran, Ayala served more than two decades in the U.S. Air Force, caring for wounded service members in Germany and Afghanistan. His distinguished military service earned him a letter of appreciation from the President of the United States.

BUILDING THE VALLEY’S PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE

Dr. Everardo Cobos, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine, said the new class highlights both the school's mission and the Rio Grande Valley's growing ability to develop its own healthcare workforce.

"This class represents exactly what the UTRGV School of Medicine was built to do, to give students from this region the opportunity to become the physicians their communities need," Cobos said.

"When students who grew up here return to practice here, the entire Valley benefits. That is how we begin to close the healthcare gaps that have long affected the Rio Grande Valley."

When the Class of 2030 dons its white coats on July 25, the ceremony will mark not only the beginning of each student's medical education, but also another step in UTRGV’s commitment to strengthening healthcare across the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.

For more information on the ceremony, visit www.utrgv.edu/school-of-medicine/education/white-coat-ceremony.