The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences will return to an in-person white coat ceremony this year, hosting the time-honored celebration at 9:45 a.m. Friday, July 30, at the Stranahan Theater’s Great Hall.
A rite-of-passage for first-year medical students and the culmination of their orientation week, the ceremony symbolizes their entry into medical training and emphasizes the principles of their chosen profession.
“The white coat ceremony is the first of many milestones these incoming medical students will experience here at UToledo,” said Dr. Christopher Cooper, executive vice president for clinical affairs and dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences. “It’s a powerful symbol of our profession and a reminder of the commitment our students are making to professionalism, empathy, continuing education and the service of others.”
Of the 175 students in this year’s class, nearly 75% are from Ohio, with more than a quarter coming from the greater Toledo region. Almost 20% of the class studied at UToledo.
A livestream of the event will be available on the College of Medicine and Life Sciences YouTube channel.
In addition to the white coat presentation, the event will include a keynote address on humanism in medicine and a recitation of the Medical Student Pledge of Ethics.
UToledo also has white coat ceremonies for students in a number of other health professions programs.
• The College of Medicine and Life Sciences will host white coat ceremonies for students in the Physician Assistant Program on Friday, Aug. 27, and students in the Biomedical Sciences Program on Thursday, Oct. 7.
• The College of Nursing will hold white coat ceremonies for incoming undergraduate students on Wednesday, Sept. 29, and incoming graduate students on Tuesday, Sept. 21.
• The College of Health and Human Services will hold a white coat ceremony for students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program on Thursday, Aug. 26.
• The College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences will hold an advancement ceremony for students in both the Doctor of Pharmacy Program and Pharmaceutical Sciences Program on Thursday, Aug. 26.
