The white coat is one of the preeminent symbols of a physician and with it comes respect and the expectation of contributing to the traditions of the medical profession. That significance wasn’t lost on the nearly 120 members of the School of Medicine’s entering Year 3 class as the group beamed with pride on Aug. 16 during the annual White Coat Ceremony at Swinney Recreation Center on the UMKC Volker Campus.
The ceremony marks the official beginning of Year 3 of training at the School of Medicine, when the medical students join their docent units on Hospital Hill and at Saint Luke’s Hospital for their final four years of medical school. It has been a tradition for students entering their third year at the School of Medicine since 2003. Sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, the White Coat Ceremony emphasizes the importance of compassionate care for patients as well as proficiency in the art and science of medicine.
Rahuyl Maheshwari, MS 3, read the Class of 2018 philosophy of medicine statement before School of Medicine Alumni Association President Raymond Cattaneo, M.D., ’03, introduced the class and the School’s docents placed the physician’s white coat on the shoulders of each new member of their unit.
Another notable moment came earlier in the program when Allison Scholes, M.D., assistant professor of emergency medicine, was presented with the Outstanding Year 1-2 Docent Award. Students select the award recipient in voting each year.
Anne Kobberman, M.D., ’03, a member of the School of Medicine’s Alumni Association, and School of Medicine Dean Betty Drees, M.D., F.A.C.P., each spoke to the class, offering encouragement for the task that lies ahead during the group’s next four years of medical education.
