Incoming Students Receive Their White Coats

A cherished tradition of new medical students is the White Coat Ceremony, an event that symbolizes their entrance into the medical profession. On July 13, students from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, including 32 from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, gathered at Severance Music Center to receive their white physician coats.

This year’s ceremony featured keynote speaker James E. Fleming Jr., MD, Medical Director of the Adena Orthopedic and Spine Institute. Dr. Fleming shared lessons from his career as an orthopaedic surgeon, crediting his education at Case Western Reserve University for his success.

Following the keynote address, the students received their white coat and together recited the Oath of Professionalism that they collectively wrote.

Oath of Professionalism:

As recipients of these white coats, we, the entering class of 2025, vow to:

• Master our field through learning fueled by unwavering curiosity.
• Acknowledge the privilege of our role.
• Lead with integrity and inclusivity.
• Innovate and advance medicine through research and scholarship.
• Engage in reflection and introspection to drive self-improvement.
• Uphold our profession’s commitment to service beyond self.

We vow to our patients to:

• Earn mutual trust by listening with empathy.
• Preserve their autonomy, confidentiality, and dignity.
• Embrace their unique lived experiences and goals.
• Deliver equitable, compassionate, and holistic care.
• Practice cultural humility to empower the voices of our patients and communities.
• Dismantle healthcare barriers and embody the ideals of an advocate.

As future physicians, we will nurture a collaborative healthcare team founded in mutual respect.

We will remain resilient through this lifelong journey of learning, compassion, service, and mastery of medicine.

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Photo credit: Andrew Jordan Photography

On July 11, students received their first stethoscopes during a ceremony that emphasized the numerous ways a stethoscope is used and how it symbolizes the importance of listening to patients and gaining their trust. The Jason Madachy Foundation generously provided matching funds for our first-year medical students' stethoscopes, along with Marlene Ricanati, who has been generously supporting this program. The foundation is named after Jason Madachy, who tragically passed away in 2007, just two months before he was set to begin medical school.

We are delighted to welcome the Class of 2030 to the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, and we look forward to being a part of all they accomplish over the next five years.

Watch the video recording of the White Coat Ceremony.