On Aug. 19, the AMA joined clinical and educational leaders for a virtual white coat ceremony welcoming medical students to the profession.
National leaders from clinical and educational realms welcomed incoming medical students and their families to the profession with a meaningful and inspiring tribute.
The one-of-a-kind event featured some of the leading voices in medicine, and was broadcasted on the AMA’s YouTube channel.
Learn more about the meaning behind the white coat for medical students.
Featured participants
- Susan R. Bailey, MD, president, American Medical Association
- Issac Kierstien, DO, dean, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Catherine Lucey, MD, executive vice dean, School of Medicine University of California, San Francisco
- Bradley L. Allen, MD, Phd, senior associate dean, medical student education, Indiana University School of Medicine
- Aletha Maybank, MD, MPH, chief health equity officer, American Medical Association
- Susan Skochelak, MD, MPH, chief academic officer, group vice president, medical education, American Medical Association
- Members of the AMA Board of Trustees
Musical artist
- Ruby Amanfu, recording artist and songwriter, and Sam Ashworth, producer and songwriter
Transcript
Aug. 19, 2020
Dr. Bailey: Hello and welcome to this virtual white coat ceremony. We're so glad you can join us with your family and friends to celebrate your achievements in the professional journey you're about to embark on in the field of medicine. This year we're celebrating this momentous ceremony a bit differently of course. COVID-19 has clearly impacted the world we live in and you're making history by entering medicine right now. While there is so much uncertainty in the world today, we are honoring you in the best way we can for the safety of your family, your friends and your colleagues. I'm sure you've dreamed of this day for a long time. Although held virtually, this white coat ceremony is here to recognize all the hard work you've put in to get in to medical school and the immensely rewarding career you have ahead of you.
I still have my first white coat as a member of the charter class at the Texas A&M College of Medicine. It didn't seem real at first, but the wear and tear and a few stains show how very real it was. I've kept this coat in my closet all these years to remind me where I started my journey in medicine and how very far I've come. And now we celebrate you as you enter the next phase of your commitment to your patients, your community and your profession. You're well aware of the health crises in the world, the health inequities in this country and the work you will need to do to combat them both. We need you now more than ever. Wearing a white coat today and for the rest of your life symbolizes compassion, trust, honor and expertise to those you will serve.
And wearing it comes with responsibility and hope for you are the future of medicine. The white coat you will put on today marks the beginning of this incredible journey. Wherever your medical training takes you, wear your white coat and eventually the title of doctor with pride. Thank you to the many key people in your lives who have helped you get to this day and will continue to support you moving forward. This white coat is for them too. As president of the American Medical Association, I welcome you to the start of a beautiful, challenging and fulfilling lifelong journey. We are rooting for your success. Welcome class of 2024 to the family of medicine. Thank you.
Dr. Kierstien: Welcome. Welcome to the profession. It's an honor to have you join us. It's kind of hard as a doc not to think about my first day when I started in medical school and what it's like, and what has changed. I can't believe how much the technology has advanced in the years that I've been a physician. And the pace is only accelerating and I'm in awe of how the practice of medicine is going to change during your career. But what's really profound is there's one thing that has not changed. There's one thing that is more powerful than any lab, any X-ray, any MRI, any of the technology. The most powerful tool a physician has and the most powerful tool you will ever, have is just being able to do a really good history and physical exam on a patient who trusts you. That is the real core of being a physician.
No matter how much the technology is going to change, no matter how much artificial intelligence and everything changes, how we practice medicine; at the end of the day, it's the patient who's going to look you in the eyes, who's going to trust you, that's going to lead them to the care. Never underestimate the power of standing side by side, shoulder to shoulder with your patient facing the same direction down the path towards their health. There's a reason why that works. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has and it's the only thing that ever will. Congratulations. Remember that you are here now, you deserve to be here now, and your patients will be lucky to have you. And you'll be worthy of that honor, of that doctor-patient relationship. Welcome to the profession.
Dr. Lucey: We couldn't be more in need of your passion, your intellect, and your heart as we work to address all of the complex challenges that are facing our communities today. We are in the midst of two intersecting pandemics, the COVID-19 pandemic that has sprung upon us in the last several months and a much more pervasive pandemic—that of structural racism and untenable health care disparities. Both of these pandemics are robbing our patients and their communities of the opportunity to live long productive lives, to build and leave a legacy for their families and to contribute as citizens to building a stronger democracy. We in the medical profession are committed to solving these because our goal is to improve the health of our communities and alleviate suffering in our patients. And we are delighted to welcome you into this work so that together, we as a community of physicians along with our partners and other health professions, can work to build a healthier and more just society.
As you work through medical school, I have a few words of wisdom for you. First, be grateful. On a daily basis think about the privilege that you have received to begin to pursue a career in service to others. Be grateful for the support you've received from your faculty and friends, for the education you'll receive from your schools and for the graciousness of your patients in inviting you into their world at some of the worst times of their life. Second, be generative and be generous. Work together with others, spending your time and your expertise in ways that build up solutions, don't just tear down problems. And third, be good to yourself. Life does not begin after medical school or residency, life is what happens while you are doing these things. Do the things that make you, you. Keep your hobbies up, exercise, visit with friends, vicariously now, and make sure that you have the opportunity to surround yourself with people who help you be your best self.
We are so delighted that you've made the choice that you've made to join our profession. We can't wait to see what the future unfolds for you. And we know the world will be better because you are physicians in it. Thank you all and have a wonderful career.
Dr. Allen: We are so excited for you. And we know that you hold lots of talents that you'll be able to share with your classmates, with your faculty and with your patients as you go forward. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided challenges for all of us. Your medical training will allow you to learn how to provide compassionate and effective care for new challenges that come before us, whether it be the current coronavirus infections or new health threats, including new pandemics that may come at us down the road. Your ability to reach out and provide comfort to those people around you will be priceless, not only for your patients, but to your classmates, your fellow residents in your next phase of training, and to your community, your family and all your friends. Your training is very important to how we become a healthier nation and a healthier world. Enjoy the trip. You will have lots of fun and there'll be challenges, but there'll be good challenges because you'll feel better coming out the other side. Again, congratulations and welcome to the family of medicine.
Dr. Maybank: Medical students play a vital role in supporting and advancing health equity in many ways. Through your ongoing advocacy in the halls of medical institutions and on the streets that I know many of you have been participating in, in our uprisings across the country, highlighting the stories of your patients from marginalized and minoritized communities that you have the privilege to learn from is essential. Learning what really, fully creates health beyond the health care system, understanding public health, community health, population health—all of these are really important in your role as a medical student. Providing awareness that many of you have already elevated around the importance of anti-racism, education, learning about structural competencies and continuing to hold the previous generations, including myself, accountable for equity, and to make sure that you were able to press for this necessary change for advancing equity. John Lewis said it's not enough to say that it will get better by and by, but each of us actually has a moral obligation to stand up, and to speak up and to speak out.
So when you see something that is not right, you must say something and you must do something. My hope for this next generation of physicians that are currently med students, is that they have the opportunity to continue to speak their truth. They do it so well now, and it really holds us as leaders and as older physicians accountable. And I think that's really critical. I hope that they are listened to and that their ideas are valued, not just in the context of the immediate sense of taking care of their patients, but valued in how they understand systems and the ability to actually reimagine and redesign systems. I hope that they have an expanded scope of medical education beyond the basic and clinical sciences, and that their education is inclusive and understanding a more holistic approach that values the context of patients’ lives and values our history in this country that really creates and produces health overall.
And I hope that they remember that they have the power to actually contribute to acting upon what it will take to really ensure that everyone has the opportunity, the resources, the conditions and power to achieve optimal health. Thank you, medical students, for becoming ambassadors of change. I truly look forward to your leadership.
Knight: So what does the white coat mean to me?
Bains: For me, the white coat represents knowing that I'm going to wake up every single day and improve the lives of others.
Pak: The white coat is a symbol of commitment, compassion, and care. It is a calling to do better, to better the health of the individual and our society.
Dasari: To me, the white coat means advocating for my patients and taking on the responsibility to improve their health and wellness.
Sekhon: What the white coat means to me is being able to have the opportunity and privilege to care for my fellow human being, from the individual, family to the community level.
Schaffer: It signifies the humbling new weight of the responsibilities that I'm honored to start carrying with me as I begin my career in medicine.
Knight: My white coat reminds me not to get caught up in bias.
Udoh: The white coat to me means I am now a steward of compassionate medicine. It signifies I have the tools to treat everyone equally in our health care system.
Holder: My white coat to me represents doing what's in the best interest of my patients at all times, whether that be in clinic or in the legislative process, this is my commitment to helping them in any way possible.
Knight: My white coat is my purpose, my purpose to serve my patients.
Vyas: One day we'll be walking into patient rooms, and just because we're wearing this white coat the patient will trust us with some of their fears, the things that concern them, some of the things that they're struggling with in their lives. So to me, this white coat symbolizes their trust in us and our responsibility to uphold their trust and treat them to the best of our abilities.
Sekhon: To me the white coat is a symbol of our duty to advocate for and ensure accessible and equitable care to all people, especially through innovative outreach, policy development and research.
Speaker: The white coat symbolizes a combination of intellect, empathy and ability over [inaudible]. But most of all what this white coal represents for me is hard work and dedication.
Dr. Skochelak: On behalf of the Medical Education Group at the AMA, welcome class of 2024 to medical school. You're entering during a unique time, the first class to do so during COVID-19 pandemic. And you already know medical education has had to adapt in many ways, such as increased virtual and distance learning and will continue to do so along your time in medical school. But the pandemic is not the only reason for transformation in medical education. We've known for quite some time that physician training has lagged behind the needs of patients and communities in addressing maximizing health in our country.
The AMA has partnered with leading medical schools and residencies across the nation to develop unique innovations in the way in which we train our future physicians. And while the pandemic will continue to challenge us, know that medical students that will thrive the best in medical schools are those that will embrace change. Those that work to apply leadership, adaptation and innovation in their training.
You've got a lot on your shoulders class of 2024, but you've got this and know that the AMA is with you every step of the way, now and into your future. So good luck to you class of 2024, wear your white coat proudly. You deserve it.
Speaker 1: The Hippocratic Oath is a sacred promise.
Speaker 2: To me, the Hippocratic Oath is a standard that we hold ourselves to that's ages old. It sort of gets to the fundamental nature of the patient and the physician relationship.
Speaker 3: It sets the ethical and moral standings of who we are as doctors, why we're physicians and what our goals and duties are.
Speaker 4: We will take care of our patients to the best of our ability.
Speaker 5: It comes to mind every time I find myself needing to sit down with a family or colleagues to figure out, how do we make sure we are doing the right thing for a patient in front of us?
Dr. Bailey: As a member of the medical profession—
Dr. Harris: I solemnly pledge.
Dr. Armstrong: I solemnly pledge.
Dr. Adamson Fryhofer: I solemnly pledge.
Dr. Ferguson: To dedicate my life.
Dr. Kridel: My life.
Dr. Harmon: My life.
Dr. Harris: My life to the service of humanity.
Dr. Scott: The health and wellbeing on my patient will be my first consideration.
Dr. Levin: I will respect the autonomy and dignity of my patient.
Dr. Mukkamala: I will maintain the utmost respect for human life.
Dr. Edwards: I will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability—
Dr. Mukkamala: Creed, ethnic origin, gender—
Dr. Bohman Egbert: Nationality, political affiliation, race—
Dr. Adamson Fryhofer: Sexual orientation, social standing, or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient.
Dr. Underwood: I'll respect the secrets that are confided in me even after the patient has died.
Dr. Ferguson: I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity and in accordance with good medical practice.
Dr. Kridel: I will foster the honor and noble tradition—
Dr. Aizuss: And noble tradition of the medical profession.
Dr. Suk: I will give to my teachers, colleagues and students, the respect and gratitude that is their due.
Dr. Motta: I will share my medical knowledge to the benefit of the patient and the advancement of healthcare.
Dr. Ehrenfeld: I will attend to my own health, wellbeing, and abilities—
Dr. Harmon: In order to provide care of the highest standard.
Dr. Resneck: I will not use my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties even under threat.
Dr. Madejski: I make these promises solemnly.
Dr. Armstrong: Solemnly.
Dr. Harris: Solemnly.
Dr. Bailey: Freely.
Dr. Ehrenfeld: Freely.
Dr. Underwood: Freely.
Dr. Aizuss: And upon my honor.
Dr. Suk: And upon my honor.
Dr. Bailey: And upon my honor.
Amanfu: I'm Ruby Amanfu and this is my husband, Sam Ashworth. We are so grateful that you have to wear the white coat, and we know the responsibility that comes with. Thank ,you for choosing this. You didn't just choose it for yourself, you chose it for others, the sacrificial incredible career. Thank you so much. And we are cheering you on every step of the way. We are here for the journey and for the marathon.
(singing)
Congratulations.
