On Friday, 9 January, 83 third-year UQ-Ochsner medical students were formally welcomed into the clinical phase of their training at the annual White Coat Ceremony, held at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center.
The ceremony marks a key transition point in the UQ-Ochsner Doctor of Medicine program, as students return to the United States for Years 3 and 4 to begin full-time clinical training at Ochsner Health.
A tradition grounded in compassion
Opening the proceedings, Professor Ronald Amedee, Director of the Ochsner Clinical School, reflected on the origins of the White Coat Ceremony and its focus on professionalism and humanism in medicine, first championed by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation.
As Professor Amedee reminded students and guests:
“Many patients now view the white coat as a ‘cloak of compassion’ and a symbol of the caring and hope they expect to receive from their physicians.”
Each student also received an A.P. Gold Humanism in Medicine lapel pin, representing a shared commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care as they enter clinical environments.
Welcomed to the Ochsner clinical campus
Students were then addressed by Professor Leonardo Seoane, Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Ochsner Health and Founding Dean of Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine.
Professor Seoane acknowledged both the achievement of the students and the support networks that helped them reach this milestone, saying:
“This is a very important milestone on your journey to becoming a physician.”
He also spoke about Ochsner Health’s long-standing commitment to patient-centered care, education, and research, and welcomed the cohort to the clinical campus as they begin the next phase of their medical education.
Learning from those who have gone before
The keynote speaker was UQ-Ochsner alumnus Dr Neej Patel (MD Class of 2014), whose career reflects the full arc of the UQ-Ochsner journey.
After graduating from the program, Dr Patel completed his Internal Medicine residency and multiple fellowships before returning to New Orleans to practice at Ochsner Health, where he now works in advanced endoscopy and is actively involved in teaching and mentoring trainees.
Cloaking, societies, and the Oath of Clinical Students
The ceremony concluded with students being cloaked in their white coats by their Society Heads, symbolizing their entry into the Medical Societies that support advising, mentorship, and community throughout the clinical years.
Students were then led in reciting the Oath of Clinical Students by Dr Marlon Joseph, formally affirming their responsibilities to patients, peers, and the profession as they step into clinical care.
For the Class of 2027, the White Coat Ceremony marked not just a moment of pride, but the beginning of hands-on patient care in one of the United States’ leading health systems.
