Class of 2029 White Coat Ceremony

Friday, August 8, 2025 at 10:45 a.m.

Congratulations to the Class of 2029!

We are excited to invite our entering class and their friends and family to an in person celebration welcoming them to the Drexel community, and to the medical community.

This celebration, the White Coat Ceremony, is a nationally recognized tradition. Incoming medical students come together to put on their white coats, a symbol of clinical care and compassionate service, and to recite the Physician’s Pledge. Taking these steps in the presence of family, friends, and educators helps students realize their responsibilities from the first day of their medical studies.

Friday, August 8, 2025
10:45 a.m.
Academy of Music
240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

A special thanks to the Benjamin J. Cottone, MD, HMC '31, White Coat Ceremony Endowment Memorial Fund for its partial support of this event, and to the Alumni Association for generously gifting the white coats and stethoscopes to the Class of 2029.

For more information, please contact us at DUCOMMilestones@drexel.edu.

The event will livestream on YouTube.

About the White Coat Ceremony

The White Coat Ceremony was established in 1993 by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. It was designed to encourage a renewed focus on compassion among future generations of physicians.

Wearing their white “cloaks of compassion,” entering students take the Declaration of Geneva’s Physician’s Pledge, the contemporary successor to the 2,500-year-old Hippocratic Oath, for the first time in the presence of family, friends, faculty, board members, administrators and alumni, affirming their commitment to the professional duties of physicians and the ethical principles of the medical profession they have now joined.

Taking the Pledge at the beginning of their education makes the students more aware of their responsibility from the very first day of their training, not just to take care of their patients but to care for them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Please reach out to DUCOMMilestones@drexel.edu with any questions related to the Class of 2029 White Coat Ceremony Ceremony.

Class of 2029 Students – Rehearsal Hall – 3^rd Floor (Locust St. Entrance)

Where is the White Coat Ceremony held? This year’s White Coat Ceremony will be held at the Academy of Music. Address: 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Do I need a ticket to enter? No, Class of 2029 students do not need a ticket to attend the White Coat Ceremony.

When should I arrive? Report time is 9:45 a.m.– sharp! Please remember to account for travel time as Center City can be busy in the morning!

Where do I go when I arrive at the Academy of Music? Class of 2029 students should go immediately to the check-in table located at the Locust Street entrance. Once checked in, students will go to Rehearsal Hall for staging.

I have personal items with me (purse, jacket etc.). Can I bring it into Rehearsal Hall with me? NO - Class of 2029 students may not leave any personal belongings in the staging room. We will not be returning to that space after the ceremony. Please leave any personal items with your family/friends before entering Rehearsal Hall.

I’m not registered, but I want to participate in the White Coat Ceremony. What do I do? Unfortunately, if you did not pre-register for the event, you will not be able to attend in person. The College of Medicine White Coat Ceremony will be livestreamed via the COM YouTube channel – YouTube.com/@DrexelMedicine.

What should I wear? The White Coat Ceremony is a formal event. We ask that students wear professional business attire. As the Academy of Music is a historic venue, please be aware that the stairways are steep and narrow. Please make sure you wear shoes that you can easily walk in (including walking upstairs and downstairs from the Rehearsal Room on the third floor). If you choose to wear a dress, we recommend wearing one that is longer than your short white coat. You will be processing on stage with your white coat over your arm, so your professional attire will be visible to the audience.

May I carry my child across stage? NO. For safety reasons, students are not permitted to carry or bring their children on stage.

Will I be permitted to have a family member cloak me during the White Coat Ceremony? Per Drexel University College of Medicine Leadership:
“Drexel University College of Medicine as an institution has done away with family hooding at Commencement and family cloaking at the White Coat Ceremony. These family hoodings/cloakings were last done in 2019. College of Medicine leadership had decided to forego it in 2020 (prior to COVID) as we had reviewed a GSA national listserv survey and nationally – many schools are doing away with it because of equity issues. Our mission includes increasing first generation and underrepresented in medicine (URiM) students, along with nontraditional students – many of whom do not have family, Drexel faculty or Drexel/legacy schools’ alumni who can hood them. The thought is that it highlights privilege and not necessarily the students and their accomplishments. When reviewed with Student Government Association leadership, they expressed their support in removing this tradition in 2020 (even the ones with Drexel alumni parents) as they wanted all students to be showcased in an equitable way.”

Are food and drink permitted at the venue? Food and drink are not permitted in the venue.

How many guests can I bring? Each student may request up to six guest tickets. If additional tickets become available, The Office of Student Affairs will reach out to any student who expressed interest in a ticket lottery via email.

How do I receive my guests’ tickets? Guest ticket pickup will be offered on campus during orientation week leading up to the White Coat Ceremony. It is each student’s responsibility to coordinate ticket distribution to your guests. Please watch for an email from the Office of Student Affairs. If you do not plan to see your guests before the ceremony, you may leave your tickets with Student Affairs. The tickets will be held under the student’s name at the Will Call Table in the AOM Lobby on the morning of the ceremony.

How can those unable to attend in person watch the ceremony? The ceremony will be livestreamed on the College’s YouTube channel on Friday, August 8 at 10:45 a.m. ET from the Academy of Music, Philadelphia.  (YouTube.com/DrexelMedicine)

Will parking be available? There are several parking garages located near the Academy of Music on Broad Street including the Symphony House Garage (440. S. Broad St.) and the Juniper and Locust Garage (1327 Locust St.) You may also use SpotHero to make a parking reservation in advance.

Faculty – Ballroom, 2^nd Floor (Broad St. Entrance)

Where is the White Coat Ceremony held? This year’s White Coat Ceremony will be held at the Academy of Music. Address: 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Where do I go when I arrive at the Academy of Music? Faculty should report to the Ballroom on the 2^nd Floor by 10:00 a.m. Volunteers will direct you to the Ballroom.

Do I need a ticket to enter? No, faculty do not need a ticket to attend the White Coat Ceremony.

Will parking be available? There are several parking garages located near the Academy of Music (240 S Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102). and the Juniper and Locust Garage (1327 Locust St.) You may also use SpotHero to make a parking reservation in advance.

How do I register to participate in the White Coat Ceremony? RSVP via our White Coat Ceremony Faculty and Special Guest RSVP Form.

I’m not registered, but I want to participate in the White Coat Ceremony. What do I do? At the present time, you must pre-register for this event.

What should I do if I’m running late or no longer able to attend the White Coat Ceremony? If you are no longer able to attend the ceremony, please reach out to DUCOMMilestones@drexel.edu. If you are running late the morning of the ceremony, we ask that you reach out to Orcel Kounga (owk23@drexel.edu).

I need to borrow a white coat for the ceremony. How do I obtain one? The Office of Student Affairs will have white coats available. Please make note of this on your official RSVP or reach out to DUCOMMilestones@drexel.edu.

Guests – Academy of Music

Where is the White Coat Ceremony held? This year’s White Coat Ceremony will be held at the Academy of Music. Address: 240 S Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102

Where do I sit, and what time can I enter the Main Hall? General admission tickets will be distributed for this event. Ushers are present on each tier and will help you find a seat. Guests may enter the Main Hall beginning at 10:15 a.m.

Is seating assigned? Students will have assigned seating; guest seating is first-come, first-served.

How long will the ceremony run? We expect the White Coat Ceremony to run from 10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET.

I have a child with me—do they need a ticket? Any child over the age of 5 needs a ticket. If your child cannot comfortably sit on your lap without blocking the views of those behind you, they need their own seat.

I have a guest who needs accessibility accommodations. When can we enter the theater? It is recommended that all guests requiring accessible seating arrive early so that event staff can show them to their seats. These guests will be invited to enter the Main Hall at 10 a.m. Please see the Academy of Music ushers for further instructions.

I have tickets available in my name. Where do I pick them up? If you are informed that you have tickets available for pick up, they will be in an envelope with your name on it at the will call table in the lobby on the morning of the event.

Where can I leave tickets for a guest? You may leave any tickets for a guest at the will call table in the lobby.

Are photos allowed during the ceremony? Yes, but we ask that guests remain seated and avoid blocking aisles or standing in front of others.

Can I bring flowers and balloons to the Academy of Music? Flowers are allowed. Helium balloons are not permitted.

Will the ceremony be livestreamed? Yes, the ceremony will be livestreamed on the College of Medicine YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@DrexelMedicine

How long will the ceremony last? The ceremony will last approximately two hours.

More FAQs will be added as we continue to finalize details for the White Coat ceremony.

The Physician's Pledge

AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

I SOLEMNLY PLEDGE to dedicate my life to the service of humanity;

THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF MY PATIENT will be my first consideration;

I WILL RESPECT the autonomy and dignity of my patient;

I WILL MAINTAIN the utmost respect for human life;

I WILL NOT PERMIT considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;

I WILL RESPECT the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;

I WILL PRACTICE my profession with conscience and dignity and in accordance with good medical practice;

I WILL FOSTER the honor and noble traditions of the medical profession;

I WILL GIVE to my teachers, colleagues and students the respect and gratitude that is their due;

I WILL SHARE my medical knowledge for the benefit of the patient and the advancement of healthcare;

I WILL ATTEND TO my own health, well-being and abilities in order to provide care of the highest standard;

I WILL NOT USE my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;

I MAKE THESE PROMISES solemnly, freely and upon my honor.