On Friday, September 26, 96 first-year medical students in the Geisel School of Medicine Class of 2029 celebrated a rite of passage in the field of medicine when they received their short white coats, symbolic of their status as physicians in training, during the medical school’s annual White Coat ceremony.
An iconic symbol in medicine, the white coat represents the bond of trust between those who wear it and their patients.
Rather than receiving their white coats during orientation, as is common among many medical schools, Geisel students spend their first two months of medical school in a clinical clerkship seeing simulated patients where they gain hands on experience. This early clinical experience gives them an opportunity to pause and reflect on the art and science of medicine and the core concepts of humanism and professionalism that they will carry with them as they navigate their medical training while wearing this symbolic commitment to patient care.
Reflecting that ethos, Roshini Pinto-Powell, MD, FACP, professor of medicine and associate dean of admissions, welcomed the Class of 2029 and their families to Dartmouth on this special day in Rollins Chapel.
Pinto-Powell noted the white coat ceremony invites medical students and all physicians who don their white coats to remember those they serve, and she emphasized the school’s commitment to supporting the medical students throughout their training.
Steven D. Leach, MD, Geisel interim dean, Santiago Schnell, DPhil, Dartmouth College provost, Sonia N. Chimienti, MD, FIDSA, Geisel dean of educational affairs, and John F. Dick, III MED ’03, assistant professor of medicine and assistant dean for clinical skills excellence, were among those who spoke of the sacred avocation and symbol of trust the white coat represents to patients, colleagues, and society.
White Coat Ceremony Photo Gallery (Photos by Ben DeFlorio)
In keeping with a Geisel tradition, second-year medical student Daniela Armella Tangarife MED ’28 shared her thoughts about the white coat—a thread of purpose representing a responsibility and lifelong commitment that “we all make as we go into our training that should forever remind us why we chose medicine and our true role as healers.”
Tara Cunningham, EdD, MS, associate dean for Student Life, introduced class representatives who, in another important tradition, led their classmates in a recitation of their class mission statement.
Sharing what the white coat means to them, first-year medical student Bilikisu Ayeni MED ’29, said, for her, the white coat carries privilege. “It represents knowledge, respect, and trust, and I want to honor that without letting it become a barrier between me and those who trust me with their care.
“Receiving this white coat after these past weeks of learning alongside my classmates, feels especially meaningful,” she said. “Our time together has shown me how this privilege can be lived out in ways that build trust and access rather than distance.”
For first-year student Joshua Badal-Rodrigues MED ’29, his white coat symbolizes accessibility, responsibility, belonging, and hope. “I don my coat for the children of immigrants and their families, for people of mixed heritage, and for anyone who needs guidance in their most vulnerable moments.
“It is also a testament to my parents’ sacrifices. Both immigrated to this country to escape poverty. Their grit and perseverance live within me, and my coat is proof that their struggles were not in vain.
“It represents responsibility. I have seen the medical injustices faced by immigrant communities, and my coat reminds me to let these experiences shape me into a more compassionate physician,” he said.
“It also signifies belonging. My white coat is confirmation that I merit my place in the field of medicine. It is a promise to help reshape the national face of medicine, so it better reflects the diverse patients we serve.
“Most of all, my white coat means hope. Even in times when the world feels daunting and uncertain, it represents the next generation of physicians—ready to advocate, to serve, and to meet the challenges of the future.”
Another tradition, in addition to the wisdom books given to each student, are personal notes from Geisel alumni tucked into the pocket of each white coat welcoming students into the profession of medicine.
If you missed the livestream of the White Coat ceremony, you may watch a video of the celebration below.
