The LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine will hold its annual White Coat Ceremony on Saturday, April 22, at 2:30 p.m. at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome Bienville Room. This year, 196 first-year LSU Health New Orleans medical students will receive white coats, a visible symbol of patient care. During the ceremony, students are “coated” by faculty members chosen by the class for their commitment to medical education and their students.
According to the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, which has donated a Humanism in Medicine lapel pin for each student, the cloaking with the white coat—the mantle of the medical profession—is a hands-on experience that underscores the bonding process. The coat is placed on each student's shoulders by individuals who believe in the students' ability to carry on the noble tradition of doctoring. It is a personally delivered gift of faith, confidence and compassion.
Although clinical education for LSU Health New Orleans medical students begins in their first year, the White Coat Ceremony signifies the students’ increased contact with patients and patient responsibilities, which expand during their second year.
Following the coating, the class will recite its Oath of Ideals. Each class develops its own Oath of Ideals.
The White Coat Ceremony is a tradition begun at LSU Health New Orleans’ School of Medicine in 1997.