FEATURE
THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE HOSTS
the Class of 2021 White Coat Ceremony
Aaron Burch
I
f you walked into the Crowne Plaza Expo Center on Sunday,
July 30, you would have seen dozens of anxious young adults
preparing for their very own white coat. Dressed in their Sunday
best with white coats in hand, these young men and women
were set to join the University of Louisville School of Medicine
as the Class of 2021.
As the clock struck 3 p.m., esteemed physicians led by Dean Toni
Ganzel took the stage. Then came the students, all 161 of them, filing
in to the sounds of a small brass ensemble. Once everyone was in
place, the doctors-to-be sat in unison as Dr. Ganzel took the podium.
“What a great day,” she said. “I join my colleagues in welcoming
the class of 2021. Congratulations on all your success in getting here.”
Jacob Hoerter, President of the School of Medicine Class of 2020,
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LOUISVILLE MEDICINE
was one of the most impactful speakers of the afternoon, saying
“Today marks the beginning of a daunting and thrilling adventure.
The path you’ve chosen is beautiful but the terrain is uneven and
often treacherous.”
Hoerter encouraged the students to remember to bring five es-
sential things on their journey: their brain, hobbies, heart, friends
and their white coat.
“My white coat is a reminder of who I am, where I’ve been and
where I’ll go,” he said. “It humbles me with memories of my failures
but it inspires me with whispers of the doctor I’ll be.”
Dr. Stephen Wheeler, Senior Faculty for Resident Education and
Associate Dean of Admissions, gave the Keynote Address, encour-
aging students to wear their white coats with reverence. “When you