COM-P Class of 2024’s Long-Awaited White Coat Ceremony
Several members of the College of Medicine – Phoenix Class of 2024 come together for a group photo after their long-awaited white coat ceremony.
Before more than 300 cheering family and friends, the 100-member University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Class of 2024 received their white coats and recited their oath in their long-awaited ceremony.
The Class of 2024 voted last year to postpone the tradition and rite of passage until they could gather safely in-person with family and friends. Their first year of medical school was conducted virtually.
“I can tell you (family, friends and loved ones), it was truly important for these students to have you here to celebrate this moment. They didn’t want to be 'white coated' without you in attendance, and that is a testament to the important place you hold in their hearts,” said Glen Fogerty, PhD, MBA, associate dean of admissions and recruitment.
The Class of 2024 marked the first cohort of 100 students for the college. Not only was the class size 20 percent larger than previous classes, it also is a more diverse class. About 55 percent are from Arizona and the other 45 percent are from 17 other states. Of the Class of 2024, about 57 percent are female and 43 percent male. Sixty percent come from socially disadvantaged, educationally under-resourced, underrepresented areas in medicine or rural upbringings.
A version of this story was originally published on the UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix website. Photos by College of Medicine – Phoenix Marketing and Communications.
Varun Sharma pauses to give the Wildcat sign before the Class of 2024 white coat ceremony begins.
Maxine Yang proudly shows off her UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix white coat before the ceremony.
Lucky Surendra, Armin Talle, Gregory Sprout, Hannah Tolson, Tyler Vail and Ankedo Warda enter the white coat ceremony in front of seated friends and family.
Meher Rakkar was nominated to speak at the white coat ceremony, where she reflected on how much the class has grown together and learned from each other over the past year.
Daniel Oheb, Daniela Parga and Jade Parker-Character listen to speakers during the ceremony.
Second-year med students applaud a speaker at their long-anticipated white coat ceremony.
Naushaba Khan sang “Epiphany” during the ceremony.
Dean Guy Reed, MD, MS, presents Jade Parker-Character with a box containing medical scrubs during the ceremony.
Fran Buranday, Taylor Elinski and Andrea Busicescu recite the oath along with the rest of their class during the ceremony.
From left, Angela Hu, Fran Buranday, Ruoyan Zhu, Rachel Mendoza and Jessica Dong after the ceremony.
Jahnavi Shriram, center, with her family after the white coat ceremony.
Erik Garber, second from right, with his family after the white coat ceremony.
Elen Mendoza, front left, with her family after the white coat ceremony.
From left, Theresa Bui, Maxine Yang, Vrishti Shah, Yerina Cho and Trevor Smith (back) take a selfie-for-five after the white coat ceremony.
Maxine Yang and Sean McCauley mark the end of the white coat ceremony with a selfie.
From front left, Obada Abdulrazzak, Sneha Singh, Bernice Alcanzo, Thresa Bui, Avery Williams and Jovanna Figueroa pause for a photo as they prepare for the white coat ceremony with Trevor Smith, Marcus Childs and Lindsey Malecha in the back row.
Isabel Strouse and Vrishti Shah smile for a selfie before the white coat ceremony begins.
From left, Isabel Strouse, Meghna Jayaraman, Hannah Tolson, Sarah Nelson, Daniela Parga, Danielle Wenger and Maxine Yang celebrate before their long-awaited white coat ceremony.
Several medical students from the Class of ’24 came together for an unplanned group photo before their white coat ceremony.