COM-P White Coat Ceremony Welcomes Class of 2025
Natalie Nabaty receives her white coat from Susan Kaib, MD, FAAFP, at the class of 2025 University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix white coat ceremony.
The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix hosted the Class of 2025 for an in-person white coat ceremony Friday, July 16. With 120 students, the Class of 2025 is the largest and the most diverse class of future physicians in the college’s history.
Each year, the white coat ceremony is an internationally practiced rite of passage for new medical students and establishes the beginning of a lifetime of professionalism and advocacy in the practice of medicine.
“The white coat ceremony signifies the beginning of a marathon journey of transformation from a talented, carefully selected student into an exceptionally skilled and compassionate physician,” said Guy L. Reed, MD, MS, dean of the UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix.
The Class of 2025 is the 15th class to enter the college since welcoming the first class in 2007. During the ceremony, medical students recited their class oath and received a personalized white coat, a stethoscope and The Patient History: Evidence-Based Approach to Differential Diagnosis textbook.
The students in the Class of 2025 were selected from more than 6,000 applicants to the UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. More than half of the class — or 61 percent — identifies as having at least one dimension of diversity.
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.
Brandon Garcia, Maëliss Gelas, Tara Ghalambor, Michelle Goforth and Rose Graf pass in front of the stage as they enter the room at the beginning of the ceremony.
Austin Sherwood, Gurkaran Singh, Jack Stearns, Paige Steffen and Jake Stenzel cross in front of the stage on the way to their seats at the beginning of the ceremony.
Kristie Nonyelu, Chikaodinaka Ohaya, Tracy Okonya, Theresa Riley and Rachel Russell listen to the speakers during the ceremony.
Dexter Gulick, Rachna Guntu and other new medical students listen to the speakers during the ceremony.
Tahmid Ahmed receives his white coat from Steven Leiberman, MD.
Fatouma Tall receives her white coat from Paul Standley, MD.
Sofia Fabrega, Nicole Falls, Saul Favila, Blake Feldmar and fellow med students read their oath during the ceremony.
Brandon Garcia discovers a personal note in the pocket of his white coat. The notes are a traditional part of the white coat ceremonies.
Brandon Garcia reads his personal white coat note.
Maëliss Gelas discovers her personal white coat note.
Rachel "R" Reichenbach, Theresa Riley, Fatouma Tall, Rose Graf and Shannon Alsobrooks take a group selfie while sporting their new white coats.
Amal Altaf and Noor Basharat with their families after the ceremony.
Kevin Vo and Ajay Bezawada celebrate after the ceremony.
Jessmin Fernandez, Lauren Troeger, Tara Ghalambor, Austin Sherwood and Maëliss Gelas enjoy a moment of levity at the ceremony.
Maëliss Gelas, Fatouma Tall, Shannon Alsobrooks, Rose Graf, Rachel "R" Reichenbach and Theresa Riley at the ceremony.
In the days leading up to the ceremony, faculty and staff write personal notes to members of the incoming class. Dean Guy Reed, MD, MS, joined in writing white coat notes for some of the incoming medical students.