4-Year Medical School Celebrates Its Second Student Cohort with a White Coat Ceremony
On a recent warm July Saturday morning, the University’ s new 4-year medical school program held an event marking the most important moment in a first-year medical student’ s early scholastic career. The White Coat ceremony is an integral part of the traditions of a medical school student’ s education. If you are familiar with track and field competitions, this is the moment when the official has the starter pistol in hand and the racers are in their blocks.
The White Coat ceremony is a festive event. It’ s a family affair where the first-year students have the opportunity to share their excitement and gratitude with the people who have been the most responsible for their success thus far.
President David Carlisle warmly acknowledged how important the White Coat ceremony has become in University annals, beginning with the joint UCLA / CDU medical education program. He offered special thanks to the round of faculty and staff. He thanked members of the community and noted the University’ s role as a community-founded institution that has made South Los Angeles a better place, healthcare-wise.
Dr. Carlisle’ s greatest acknowledgement was saved for Founding Dean Deborah Prothrow-Stith. He stated that her work in planning and developing the program, as well the results of the first cohort’ s performance demonstrated how such a project can be drawn up and executed in a truly dramatic way.
He acknowledged the incoming class of 2028 in noting metaphorically that if they close their eyes, the time will pass quickly.“ You will complete the first phase of your education, successfully pass the state boards, people will be calling you Doctor, and by 2028 and your dreams will be officially fulfilled,” he noted. That thought drew joyous outcries from the platoon of students and the legion of parents, family, and friends assembled that day. It should be noted that the crowd’ s acknowledgement of the 60-student cohort was a continuous, unceasing lovefest throughout the proceedings, especially at the time students were individually called up for their
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 7