- October 9, 2024
Loading
Horizon West’s Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine celebrated the Class of 2028 at the organization's inaugural White Coat Ceremony Friday, Sept. 13, at the Walt Disney Theater in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
The White Coat Ceremony is a symbolic and significant rite of passage for medical students as they embark on their journey into the medical profession. It marks the moment when students first don their white coats, which represent their commitment to the values of medicine — compassion, professionalism and dedication to patient care.
The ceremony, which was created by Dr. Arnold P. Gold in 1993 at Columbia University, emphasizes the humanistic aspects of health care.
For students, the ceremony serves as a powerful reminder of the responsibilities and privileges of becoming a physician. By wearing the white coat, students take their first steps in joining a long-standing tradition of healing and service.
All of OCOM's students received a ceremonial pin at the event from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation.
OCOM’s ceremony included an invocation; messages from founder Kiran C. Patel, dean Robert T. Hasty, the school’s Board of Trustees and representatives from the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association; a keynote address from Sheetal Patel, daughter of the school’s founders; and the white coat presentation.