Dr. Drew to speak at UA medical graduation

"It sounds like a great medical school," Pinsky said in an interview yesterday. "I am very pleased to be speaking at the commencement ceremony."

Pinsky said he will advise future doctors about how to make difficult choices and use careful judgment to find medical treatments for their patients.

He also plans to discuss some of his "Loveline" experiences during the talk, but without his sidekick and co-host Adam Carolla.

"I spend too much time all together with him already," Pinsky said.

Where It's At UA Centennial Hall May 14 at 8 p.m. The event is for medical students' families, but limited seating is available to the public.

Pinsky added that he and Carolla plan to come to the UA in the fall to answer Loveline questions, although the show will not be filmed in Tucson.

Medical students came up with the plan to invite Pinsky to the commencement ceremony, said Bert Vargas, a fourth-year medical student, who is also a class representative.

"To be picked by my peers is an important thing," Pinsky said. "I really want to do it."

Vargas said that some graduates are interested in Pinsky's viewpoints about helping the community and balancing family responsibilities while maintaining a medical career.

"He's got a fascinating background," Vargas said. "He's been involved in some facets of medicine that we're interested in."

Pinsky said he speaks at college campuses almost every weekend, but he has never made a keynote graduation speech.

"Commencement speeches are by far the most difficult speeches to give," he said.

Pinsky received his medical degree from the University of Southern California in 1984 and is the chief of medicine at Las Encinas Hospital.

Pinsky will be paid about $1,500 plus travel and hotel costs to speak at the May graduation ceremony.