On August 10, 2024, members from the UAB Heersink School of Medicine incoming MS1 class gathered with friends, family, faculty, and staff to celebrate the White Coat Ceremony. The annual ceremony is the first milestone event for medical students, honoring the receiving of their white coats. The ceremony took place at the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham, AL and was facilitated by Heersink School of Medicine leadership from each of its campuses.
At the beginning of the event, students from the 2024 MS1 class filed into the auditorium grouped into Learning Communities. During their orientation week (July 22-26), the new students received their community assignments for all four years of medical school. These small groups exist to provide support and professional growth opportunities throughout the students’ time at Heersink School of Medicine.
Anupam Agarwal, M.D., Senior Vice President for Medicine and dean of Heersink School of Medicine, welcomed those gathered. He noted the importance the ceremony holds for the students: “The white coat is the mantle of our profession. In the years to come, you will wear your white coat in all patient encounters, identifying yourself as a medical student at UAB and a member of the noble tradition of medicine.”
He explained that the White Coat Ceremony was created by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation in 1993 to emphasize the importance of compassionate care for the patient as well as scientific proficiency. For the gathered UAB students, the ceremony represented the end of their first course in medical school, Patient, Doctor, and Society, and the beginning of their basic sciences education. The event was made possible by support from the University of Alabama Medical Alumni Association and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation.
Christina Grabowski, Ph.D., associate dean of Admissions and Enrollment Management, congratulated the class on successfully advancing through the rigorous application process that included more than 4,300 applicants. She shared that this medical student class combined for more than 189,000 hours of research. The students of this class are fluent in 21 different languages and graduated from 50 different undergraduate colleges and universities. They studied abroad in 30 countries around the world and performed community service in 14 countries.
The ceremony’s keynote speaker was Nicholas Van Wagoner, M.D., Ph.D., associate dean of students. “In a few moments, you will don your white coat for the first time,” Van Wagoner said. “It’s a simple act, but it represents one of the most important moments of your professional life. With this white coat comes great responsibility and great satisfaction. In your white coat, you will care for your patients and improve the quality of their lives. In fact, in your white coat, you will save lives.”
Two awards were presented during the ceremony. The Sarah Crews Finley Endowed Leadership Scholarship was given to medical student Chandler Scott Harris for excellence in academics, service, and leadership qualities. The Brewer-Heslin Endowed Award for Professionalism in Medicine was given to David S. Geldmacher, M.D., FACP, professor in the Department of Neurology. This award emphasizes the highest ideals of professionalism in the areas of compassionate, ethical patient care and a lifelong dedicated pursuit of knowledge.
To conclude the ceremony, students then approached the stage to complete the traditional cloaking of their white coats. Students were cloaked by deans from the three regional campuses or by a designated family member with an M.D.
Click here to view the recording of the White Coat Ceremony live stream. Learn more about making a gift to the UAB Heersink School of Medicine.