The White Coat Ceremony

The White Coat Ceremony is a tradition in which first year medical students are presented with their white coats to signify the beginning of their clinical training. The tradition emphasizes the importance of both scientific excellence and compassionate care for the patient. At the University of Massachusetts Chan Worcester, in the presence of family, guests and faculty members, the white coat is placed on each student's shoulders by two people - an individual significant in the student's personal and/or professional development, chosen by the student, and the student's Learning Community mentor, who represents the value system of the school and the new profession the students are about to enter.