The New York Medical College’s School of Medicine in Valhalla staged a white coat ceremony for the 219 new students who comprise the class that would be graduating in 2028. In the ceremony, the students for the first time put on the “white coats” that doctors typically wear while performing hospital and other medical duties. The students also took an oath they developed as a class to emphasize the professional and humanistic qualities of a physician they consider most important.
The ceremony took place on the grounds of Caramoor Center for the Music and the Arts in Katonah.
“If you see a patient in the emergency room, the ICU, the operating room, or at the bedside, all you should see is a human being —regardless of where that person was born, what languages he or she speaks, who they love, who they pray to, if they pray, whatever they feel about the politics of the day, if they’re a Yankees fan or a Mets fan — and you should treat all your patients as no more and no less than that — a human being worthy of respect, dignity, and the highest possible standard of medical care,” said Neil W. Schluger, dean of the School of Medicine.
David Asprinio, professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, delivered the keynote address. He said, “Certainly, your accomplishments will be recognized by many and you will be held in high esteem. I hope, however, that you allow others to be impressed and to recognize your accomplishments and don’t become too impressed by yourselves. You are training to do a job. It is an important job that comes with great responsibility. What I believe will separate you from your peers who have pursued other careers is the selfless manner in which you will approach each and every patient interaction.”
Asprinio explained that the technical component of what he does is only a small part of what his professional activities as a physician entail.
“Your patients will have a story to tell but you need to listen. In many cases, the job you do [as a physician] will affect a multitude of individuals in addition to the patient in question. It is an awesome responsibility and I thank you for taking it on.”
