Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Chris Breedlove, LUCOM Marketing
Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) honored the Class of 2024, on Saturday, Aug. 22, during the annual White Coat Ceremony. This seventh class of osteopathic medical students was officially coated by LUCOM faculty, and with excitement and cheers proudly wore their symbolic white coat. The ceremony took place inside the Center for Music and the Worship Arts on the campus of Liberty University.
Due to CDC guidelines and with the state of Virginia in Phase III, it was a closed event for only faculty, staff, and student-doctors to attend. A live stream production was produced through Liberty University Broadcasting and is available to watch on LUCOM’s Facebook Page.
The ceremony started with comments from Peter A. Bell, DO, MBA, FACOEP-dist, FACEP, dean and professor of family and emergency medicine. “There is no doubt, the Class of 2024 is accomplished, talented, and extremely well-educated. It’s a big deal to become a physician, it is not easy. Students, this ceremony is the beginning of a journey, an adventure, a challenge, and a life-changing endeavor from which you will emerge at the other side forever changed. In the coming months all of us at LUCOM promise to challenge, motivate, coach, teach, encourage, pour into, and love – yes, love!—our new class.”
“We take the words of Jesus Christ seriously when He commanded His disciples to, ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ And the word ‘physician’ evokes ideas of a healer. We take this very seriously in osteopathic medicine,” he added.
In keeping with the dean’s tradition of providing quotes from the founder of osteopathic medicine – Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO – Dr. Bell said, “To find health should be the object of the doctor. Anyone can find disease.”
After Dr. Bell’s welcome, an invocation was led by Jason E. Wells, PhD, assistant dean of academics for years one and two, as well as professor of neurosciences. He gave thanks to the Lord for bringing the class together and for the privilege of training them in osteopathic medicine. Following his prayer, a special musical performance of “God Bless America” was provided by Class of 2023 student-doctors Jackson Bargery, Yoshua Mathai, and Kamille Parungao.
The White Coat Ceremony is a symbolic milestone for any class entering medical school and marks the beginning of a student’s transition into the medical profession. Instituted by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation in 1993, a White Coat Ceremony is celebrated at almost all medical schools in the United States, as well as in 19 other countries. As an international nonprofit organization, the foundation works with physicians in training and in practice, as well as other members of the healthcare community, to instill a culture of respect, dignity, and compassion for patients and practitioners.
“Your new short white coat symbolizes the academic journey and educational accomplishments that each of you have achieved to this point” said Dr. Bell. “In bestowing the white coat – a symbol of professionalism, compassion, and honor – our deans and faculty are setting a standard for you to uphold on your journey to becoming an osteopathic physician…this is only the beginning.”
At the middle of the ceremony each student-doctor from the Class of 2024 was able to walk across the stage where a LUCOM faculty member assisted in the donning of their new white coat. Afterwards, each student received three lapel pins from three students of the Class of 2023. The first pin was the academic seal of Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine and the second pin a token provided by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, and the third pin from the Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association (VOMA), as a small gift to welcome each student-doctor into VOMA.
This year’s keynote address was provided by Robert A. Cain, DO, FACOI, FAODME, president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). Unfortunately, due to travel concerns surrounding the global pandemic, COVID-19, Dr. Cain could not attend the ceremony in person and prerecorded his message to the class. In it, he said, “ I am so honored to address the Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2024. You have embarked on a journey that will continue throughout your life. It will be filled with the expected and the unexpected, the known and the unknown, the certain and the uncertain. You are the first class in at least a century to begin your medical education during a time when the unexpected, the unknown, and the uncertain may predominate – at least for a while.”
Making note of the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Cain said that it is a defining event for this generation of medical students. “The virus will affect your education and training and perhaps your choices for graduate medical education and your career. However, I think it will also reinforce why you’ve chosen this field in the first place to save lives.”
Dr. Cain encouraged the Class of 2024 to stay hopeful and remain committed, and that the osteopathic mindset is intended to influence decision making throughout their career.
“You’ve already begun to learn the core osteopathic principles that will influence your thinking. Osteopathic care is based upon the integration of the body, mind, and spirit; these three things do not stand alone, but together create a lens through which the osteopathic physician sees the patient and tries to help them reach their fullest health potential.”
He also said, “Take the time necessary to understand and to connect with the patient, the family, your colleagues, your team and others. You follow in the footsteps of those before you who laid the foundation for changing healthcare.”
Keeping with the symbolism of the doctor’s white coat, Dr. Cain mentioned that it would be one of many white coats they will wear in their profession. “This first white coat is a special token that marks your entry into the physician community. We welcome you to wear it proudly and learn to improve the lives of others.”
“In you, I see a bright future for medicine. Thank you for inviting me to share this very special day. I offer you my most heartfelt congratulations for making the decision to Choose DO. I know that you will have a positive impact and improve the lives of thousands of patients in the future.”
Following Dr. Cain’s prerecorded message, Michael G. Hueber, DO, MSc, assistant dean of admissions and student services, led the Class of 2024 in the reciting of the Osteopathic Oath. This traditional component to the White Coat Ceremony affirms their loyalty to the osteopathic profession being mindful of their responsibility to preserve the health and well-being of their patients.
Timothy O. Leonard, MD, PhD, senior associate dean of academic affairs, closed the ceremony in prayer.
There are 160 new osteopathic medical students in the Class of 2024. By birthplace, 34 states and 11 foreign countries are represented, and the average age of the class is 24 with the youngest age at time of orientation is 21, the oldest is 41. 82% of the class are entering Liberty’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program with a bachelor’s degree, and 17% with a master’s degree, and two students with a doctorate degree (PharmD) degree.
View images from the White Coat Ceremony at Facebook.com/LibertyMedicine.