White Coat: 350 Students Mark Entry into Healthcare Professions
On Monday, August 31, Touro University Nevada held the time-honored tradition of the white coat ceremony, welcoming 180 first-year osteopathic medical students from the College of Osteopathic Medicine and 170 students earning degrees in physical therapy, physician assistant studies, and nursing in the College of Health and Human Services. Students donned their white coats with the assistance of faculty and recited their Hippocratic oath to mark their entry into their healthcare profession.
"The white coat these students received represents much more than entry into a degree program,” said Dr. Patricia Salkin, Campus Provost & Chief Academic Officer. “It symbolizes their commitment to a noble profession and their acceptance of the responsibilities that come with caring for others."
This year’s osteopathic medicine class comes to Touro Nevada from 17 states across the country, with a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds. Thirty-one students hail from Nevada, the largest population coming from California with 119. Women make up 53% of the class.
Dr. Stacey Pierce-Talsma, Dean of The College of Osteopathic Medicine, shared, “Today a time for reflection, with receipt of your white coat your identity begins to change. The white coat is not a symbol of who you are, but who you have agreed to become." The Deans from each college, second-year student speakers, and program directors gave their remarks and offered guidance for these new healthcare students. The osteopathic medicine ceremony featured an alumni speaker, Dr. Elizabeth Klein, from Class of 2020 to share her words of wisdom and welcome them to the profession. The Smith Center was filled with family and friends watching and cheering for the student in their live to take this formal step into their career journey.
A symbol of the medical profession for more than 100 years, the white coat has come to represent ideals of professionalism, trust, and scientific integrity. In 1993, Arnold Gold established the national tradition of the White Coat Ceremony to emphasize, from the very start of medical education, the moral commitment physicians hold to patients.
“These students are the future of healthcare,” said Jacqueline Beato, Chief Executive Officer. “At a time when our community continues to need dedicated healthcare professionals, they are stepping forward to answer that call. We are honored to welcome them into this rewarding field and excited to see their growth, achievements, and future contributions to patient care.”
