College of Medicine – Tucson White Coat Ceremony Welcomes Class of 2025
Sparshee Naik smiles as Dr. Colleen Cagno presents her white coat during the Class of 2025 white coat ceremony at Centennial Hall.
The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson hosted the Class of 2025 for an in-person white coat ceremony on July 23. With 120 students, the Class of 2025 is the 27th class to have a white coat ceremony at the college. The first was held in 1995, and the ceremony has been a tradition for incoming UArizona Health Sciences medical students since.
The milestone underscores the recognition of the students’ entry into clinical medicine with their first physician’s white coat, the frock of their future profession.
“We were excited to conduct an in-person white coat ceremony for the incoming Class of 2025 due to efforts of our community, our health care system, and high vaccination rates among our students, administration and staff,” said Kevin Moynahan, MD, the college’s vice dean for education and a professor of medicine.
The Class of 2025 is 55% female and 45% male, with ages ranging from 21 to 38. Arizona residents represent 84% of the class, with 17 from Tucson. Forty-two of the students are underrepresented minorities, 35 identify as disadvantaged and 29 students are from a rural upbringing.
A “Humanism in Medicine” lapel pin, provided by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation which established the first white coat ceremony in 1993 at Columbia University in New York, was affixed to each coat. “By establishing this meaningful ritual at the beginning of medical school, students become aware of their responsibilities from the first day of training,” the foundation states. The foundation was established in 1989 to foster humanism and compassionate care in medicine.
UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson first-year medical student Adam Carl gets fitted for his white coat inside the Health Sciences Innovation Building prior to the white coat ceremony.
UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson first-year medical students pose for a group photo after being fitted for their white coats inside the Health Sciences Innovation Building prior to the white coat ceremony.
Each white coat presented has an inspirational note in the pocket written by faculty and staff.
Medical students Brandon Zhang, Luis Novelo Hernandez, Nicole Kummet, and Emily Dereskiewicz pose for a photo before the start of the Class of 2025 white coat ceremony at Centennial Hall.
Medical students recite the mission statement during the Class of 2025 white coat ceremony at Centennial Hall.
D'Andre Gomez gives a flex to the crowd after being presented his white coat by Dr. Puneet Schroff.
Jordan Gotwalt gets a fist bump from Dr. Carlos Gonzales after he presented her with her white coat.
Class of 2025 medical students applaud at the end of their white coat ceremony.
Gisselle Pegaitaz poses in front of the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson banner after receiving her white coat.
Issa Jimenez Espinoza gives two V signs as she and her classmates Megan Taylor, Brenn Belone, Lacey Hart and Curtis Mcguire leave Centennial Hall after participating in the Class of 2025 white coat ceremony.
Medical student Bobbie Alcanzo takes a selfie with her sister Bernice Alcanzo after the Class of 2025 white coat ceremony.
Brandon Zhang, left, poses for a photo as a classmate and his family snap away after the Class of 2025 white coat ceremony.
Newly “white-coated” medical students, from left, Riley Hellinger, Coco Victoria Gomez Tirambulo, Mathew Flower and Zak Webber show off their “doctor” socks.
UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson’s Duri Sabina Saeed, kneeling with flowers, poses for a photo with her family and friends after the Class of 2025 white coat ceremony at Centennial Hall.
UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson classmates, from left, Toluwalase Talabi, Ayomide Odeneye, Ben Litmanovich, Sascha Delzepich, Aseel Ibrahim and Max Coffeen pose for a photo outside of Centennial Hall after receiving their white coats.
UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson student Pantea Sazegar and her mother Sohaila Samiei capture the moment with a selfie after the white coat ceremony.
Medical student Matthew Flowers and his father Clifford Flowers jump for joy after Matthew received his white coat at the ceremony.
UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson Class of 2025 faculty and staff gather for a group photo in front of Cochise Hall after the white coat ceremony.