The largest class in UConn School of Medicine’s history donned their new white medical coats for the first time on Aug. 26.
Each member of the incoming class of 100 first-year medical students were individually cloaked with a white coat by a fourth-year medical student during the White Coat Ceremony held in the new, state-of-the-art Academic Rotunda at UConn Health.
“Welcome to the class of 2020,” shared Dr. Raymond Foley, associate professor of medicine and faculty advisor of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. “The key element of today’s White Coat Ceremony is the Hippocratic Oath. This oath acknowledges your primary role as a caregiver and marks the passage of this milestone.”
Foley added: “You truly represent the future of medicine. That is why our future is bright.”
“This is a momentous day,” said Dr. Bruce T. Liang, dean of UConn School of Medicine speaking to the class of 2020. “You are the pioneers. The first to experience our new, innovative curriculum and to occupy this beautiful Rotunda.”
Liang encouraged the class of 2020 to find their personal motivation from their patients in order to discover new knowledge and future cures for disease. “In the next few weeks you will be caring for patients in a doctor’s office,” said Liang. “You will learn so much from your patients.”
“What we all do here is greater than us all individually,” said Dr. David Henderson, associate dean for Student, Multicultural and Community Affairs at UConn School of Medicine. “We will help you navigate and be true to your journey.”
After receiving their white coats each medical student was asked to creatively share a brief “tweet” or short message about themselves with the audience of leadership, faculty, family and friends.
Omar Allan, a recent UConn graduate majoring in chemistry said: “I am all about making healthcare a right, not a privilege.”
Elizabeth Atteh, a graduate of Cornell majoring in human biology shared: “I would like to thank my parents for helping me get this far. I am really excited for the next four years.”
“Thank you for all the opportunities,” shared Trisha Kwarko thanking her mentors in the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (CICATS). She is a recent graduate from UConn Graduate School with a degree in biomedical science and an inaugural class member of the Young Innovative Investigator Program (YIIP). She also graduated from UConn with a B.S. in allied health sciences.
“I am happy to be a Husky for another four years #HuskyforLife,” exclaimed Jonathan Caranfa, a recent graduate of UConn.
Rory Geyer, another UConn graduate majoring in molecular and cell biology sincerely thanked Dr. Pramod Srivastava, director of the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, for the opportunity to work in his laboratory for the last five years and for his incredible mentorship to get him to his medical school milestone.
The White Coat Ceremony concluded with swearing in of the medical students with the Oath of Hippocrates led by Dr. Suzanne Rose, senior associate dean for education to allow the medical students to start their lifelong commitment to the practice of medicine.
“We wish all good things for you Class of 2020,” said Rose. “May you be cloaked in academic and professional success. Congratulations to you all.”
The incoming class of students includes 80 state residents and also 35 students who attended UConn as undergrads. Thanks to the work of UConn Health’s Department of Health Career Opportunity Programs (HCOP) 20 percent of the new students are from demographic groups considered to be underrepresented in medicine.
