Atul Gawande chosen as distinguished speaker for Harvard Alumni Day

Moreover, Gawande is highly acknowledged for his literary contributions, which have heightened public awareness and comprehension of contemporary health challenges and resolutions across numerous subjects. A contributor to The New Yorker since 1998, he has penned four New York Times bestsellers, including “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End.”

“Atul Gawande stands as one of the most significant thinkers, writers, and pioneers in health and medicine in our era,” stated President Alan M. Garber ’77, Ph.D. ’82. “From enhancing surgical safety to widening access to superior care globally, he brings a profoundly humanist viewpoint to his endeavors and is committed to ensuring that healthcare policies and systems prioritize those they are meant to serve. I can’t envision a more suitable voice to motivate our alumni as they pursue their own mission to impact the world.”

“I’m thrilled to return to Harvard,” expressed Gawande. “This is a community like no other — in its legacy, breakthroughs, and influence. I’m consistently inspired by alumni of all generations who are working towards the common good, both in their local environments and across the globe.”

Gawande has long been a catalyst for innovation within health systems, mobilizing individuals to tackle longstanding challenges. His research has resulted in pivotal advancements in patient care, including the widely implemented WHO (World Health Organization) Surgical Safety Checklist, a 19-item guideline credited with halving surgical mortality rates. Recognizing a crucial deficiency in this area, he co-established the nonprofit Lifebox in 2011 to enhance surgical safety by supplying pulse oximeters to operating rooms worldwide. In 2012, he initiated Ariadne Labs, a collaborative center at BWH and Harvard Chan School, aimed at creating scalable solutions for some of healthcare’s most intricate challenges. He presently holds the title of distinguished professor in residence at Ariadne Labs.

He was also part of President Joseph Biden’s Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board and co-founded CIC Health, a public-benefit corporation that assisted with pandemic response initiatives nationwide. Between 2018 and 2020, Gawande served as the CEO of Haven, a collaborative venture initiated by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase to transform healthcare delivery.

Honored with various accolades, including a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, Gawande is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and was recognized as one of the top 100 most influential thinkers by Foreign Policy and Time magazine.

“A surgeon with the spirit of a storyteller, Atul Gawande possesses a unique talent,” remarked HAA President Moitri Chowdhury Savard ’93. “He demonstrates that medicine transcends being merely a science; it is a deeply human pursuit — one that demands contemplation, empathy, and ongoing enhancement. Through his writing, research, and leadership, he prompts us all to inquire: ‘How can we improve?’ I am confident that his insights will resonate with the alumni community as we contemplate what it means to lead lives filled with connection and purpose. It’s genuinely an honor to have him with us.”

A Harvard homecoming

“I arrived at Harvard as a medical student and encountered an extraordinary community that has compelled me to think more critically, work more diligently, and aspire for more than I had ever envisioned,” stated Gawande. “None of my subsequent endeavors — surgery, innovation, writing, public health — would have been feasible without this institution.”

Raised in Athens, Ohio, by physician parents who migrated from India, Gawande has noted that pursuing a career in medicine felt so unavoidable that he did everything he could to avoid it. He studied biology and political science at Stanford, then pursued politics, philosophy, and economics as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. Even at HMS, his approach was unorthodox — delaying admission for three years, then opting to work on healthcare reform during the Clinton administration.

After obtaining his medical degree and concluding his second year of surgical training, Gawande’s subsequent phases took him not to the laboratory, as anticipated, but across the quad to Harvard Chan School, where he later earned a master’s degree.

It was during his surgical residency at BWH that The New Yorker first invited Gawande to contribute articles. Rather than opting for a safe approach, he confronted one of medicine’s most uncomfortable truths: medical errors — including a serious one he had committed. His numerous writings since then, unapologetic in their scrutiny of topics from end-of-life issues to soaring healthcare costs, have reshaped public dialogue surrounding health.

“We are excited to welcome Atul Gawande for Alumni Day,” expressed Sarah Karmon, executive director of the HAA. “In a world that evolves swiftly, he reminds us that genuine progress isn’t solely about scientific or technological breakthroughs. We must also reconsider how we support one another. Atul’s contributions, whether in the surgical setting or through written works, exemplify knowledge dedicated to serving the wider community and illustrate the impact one individual can have on the lives of others.”

Harvard Alumni Day is set to occur on campus and online on June 6. All alumni are encouraged to participate. For additional information, kindly visit alumni.harvard.edu/alumni-day.