August 14, 2018

Drexel University College of Medicine welcomed 260 new medical students during its annual White Coat Ceremony on Friday, August 10, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The ceremony is celebrated by medical schools across the country and is an important first step for future physicians as they receive the traditional symbol of clinical care and service — the white coat.

The incoming class was selected from 13,528 applicants. Daniel V. Schidlow, MD, Annenberg Dean and senior vice president for medical affairs, welcomed the class by noting the competitive applicant pool. "You saw something special in us, and we saw something special in you, so we are invested in your success. We are invested in your future," he said.

Students in the incoming class represent 26 states. Fifteen percent of the students are first-generation college students, and 16 percent have already completed graduate degrees. In addition, there are two students who are active duty in the military and one veteran.

Along with Dean Schidlow, the Class of 2022 was welcomed by Valerie Weber, MD, the Deborah J. Tuttle, MD, and John P. Piper, MD, Vice Dean for Educational Affairs, and Mark S. Codella, MD, HU ‘84, president of the Alumni Association Board. For the second year in a row, the event featured a performance by Dean Schidlow and Doctor's Note, a student a cappella. For the first time, the incoming students received a stethoscope in addition to their white coat.

Wearing their "cloaks of compassion," the new medical students recited the Physician's Pledge. This meaningful ritual, held in the presence of family and friends, helps students realize their responsibilities from the first day of their medical studies. The ceremony reinforces that a physician's responsibility is not only to take care of patients, but also to care for patients.

The ceremony's keynote speaker was Dennis H. Novack, MD, professor of medicine and associate dean of medical education. Dr. Novack discussed the role choice plays in determining what kind of doctor the students will grow to be, while making the case for choosing compassion and care.

The first White Coat Ceremony took place in 1993 at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. It was designed to produce a generation of physicians with a renewed focus on compassion. The ceremony is now held at 90 percent of medical schools nationwide.

 
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