Medical Students to Receive White Coats June 23

2011 White Coat Ceremony

The University of South Alabama College of Medicine will hold its annual White Coat Ceremony at the USA Mitchell Center on June 23, 2012, at 10 a.m. During the ceremony, rising third-year medical students will be cloaked with their first white coats, the traditional dress of physicians for more than 100 years.

Dr. Johnson Haynes, professor of internal medicine at the USA College of Medicine, will be the keynote speaker.

"The White Coat Ceremony marks the beginning of medical students' submergence in the clinical phase of their undergraduate medical education," Dr. Haynes said. "The next two years of their training will be vested in establishing a foundation rooted in clinical competence, the development of proficient communication skills, and the further understanding of the ethical and legal aspects of the practice of medicine."

The ceremony marks a significant milestone for these students - the point where they will begin their clinical rotations and start interacting with patients.

For students, the White Coat ceremony serves as a reminder of the importance and responsibility they take by dedicating themselves to the care of patients. During the ceremony, the students in unison will take the Medical Student Oath, a promise to uphold the human aspects of medicine, such as sensitivity, compassion and respect for patients.

Each year, the USA Medical Alumni Association sponsors this event.