The White Coat Ceremony

As a spouse it's important to take every opportunity to celebrate your loved one! I love when I can get out of our world at home and enter into his on campus celebrating each achievement. I am certainly effected by the highs and lows of medical school but in some ways, I'm also removed from this part of his life. I find myself feeling jealous of those books and exams that get so much of his attention but today I was so proud watching him walk across the stage to receive his white coat! It was good to hear the importance of what he is pursuing because at home it's easy to forget the expectations and pressure he is up against. 

What is a White Coat Ceremony?

During orientation week the students are issued their white coat to try on for size and several months into the first year there is a ceremony where certain faculty members and distinguished medical doctors present them with the coat and at Jason's school a note in the pocket from an alumni doctor. It is a big to-do so invite your family, closest friends, mentors and dress up like you would for a graduation ceremony. I didn't realize it was going to be such a grand ceremony otherwise I would have invite others despite Jason's complaints (he doesn't like to be fussed over).

The stage was full of faculty members and medical doctors who both encouraged the students that they are the best out of the applicants, they recognized their hard work, dedication and individual drive that got them to this point. One of the faculty members spoke to the students acknowledging that although they may have been at the top of their previous classes, they will now be faced with things they won't know. They will need each other and need to learn to work together because the practice of medicine is a team effort. She charged the class to remember compassion, to practice listening and asking good questions with peers, family members and friends because that will ultimately be what makes them a great doctor. A patient wants to know that they have been heard and that their doctor cares about their ailments just as much as they will be concerned with credentials and experience. As a spouse, equally concerned with her husband's growth in character and success, I particularly appreciated and enjoyed this charge. 

After the ceremony we took pictures, congratulated fellow classmates and I got to meet one of Jason's professors and then we scrambled to find a place to eat for brunch ending up at Cracker Barrel twenty minutes away. We like Cracker Barrel but if we had planned ahead we could have explored one of the local restaurants in the area. Next time!

Here are some pictures I took from my iphone, I forgot my camera and was disappointed because even though my smart phone has more mega pixels then my cannon, my camera still takes better pictures at a distance.

    Alongside regular classes and working part time outside of med school, Jason is taking a medical Spanish class and to the right is his professor. Above is Jason, his sister Dannielle and me.

"I acknowledge and accept the privileges and responsibilities given to me today as a physician-in-training and dedicate myself to learning to provide case to those in need. I will approach all aspects of my education with honesty and integrity, embracing opportunities to learn from patients, teachers, and colleagues. The diversity of their experiences, cultures, and belief will enrich my education and my ability to case for patients. When I feel unprepared for new responsibilities. I will acknowledge my limitations and seek guidance ... As I accept these new responsibilities, I will not forget the importance of my own health and well-being. I will continue to value my relationships with those who have supported me in the past and those who will share my future. Knowing my own limitations and those of medicine, I commit myself to a lifelong journey of learning how to cure, to relieve, and to comfort with humility and compassion."    -- Oath of Student Responsibilities