More than 200 members of the incoming class of medical students at UTMB, the state’s first medical school, received white coats in a ceremony that welcomed them into the medical profession.
The highlight of the ceremony, which was held at 10 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 18, at Levin Hall on the UTMB campus, was when the 230 members of the class of 2017 donned their white coats for the first time.
“This ceremony is a milestone in a person’s life. While it’s symbolic of officially entering the medical profession, it also is an affirmation of your commitment to being the best physician you can be,” said Dr. Danny O. Jacobs, executive vice president and Provost and dean of the
School of Medicine.
Dr. Richard Goodgame, professor, department of Internal Medicine, and William Osler Scholar, John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine, was the keynote speaker. Several student and faculty awards also were presented during the ceremony.
The white coat ceremony was introduced to U.S. medical schools in 1993 at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. The white coat ceremony was started at UTMB in 1996.