Spoken from the heart, with love, hope, and a Rubik's cube, I am so honored and grateful for the opportunity to deliver this year's White Coat Ceremony Keynote Address at my alma mater medical school, the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Portland, ME.
"The practice of medicine is a call and you have answered that calling." I wish to congratulate all the medical students in attendance for taking this next step in their medical career.
The White Coat Ceremony is an important milestone for first-year medical students that establishes the expectations and responsibilities of the medical field. It represents the beginning of their journey to becoming a doctor. During the event, medical students receive the iconic white coat and recite the oath (i.e. Hippocratic oath) to uphold themselves to the highest ethical and moral standards of care. This tradition symbolizes their commitment to provide the best quality of care with duty, honor, respect, professionalism, compassion, and altruism.
In addition to delivering the speech, I coated all 178 medical students as a symbolic gesture, having been in their shoes and now being able to pass on the knowledge and “white coat” to the next generation of physicians.
Afterward, I was gifted a beautiful wooden compass with the coordinates to UNECOM's location so I can always find my way home. It was so kind and so meaningful. I will cherish this and all the memories of the event forever.
You can watch the full ceremony here:
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