See the Photos: Aspiring Physicians Take Sacred Oath at White Coat Ceremony

It was all smiles as the newest class of medical students eagerly awaited to don their white coats at the St. George’s University School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony. The future physicians were cheered on by their family and friends as they walked across the stage on April 15 at Bourne Lecture Hall on SGU’s True Blue campus.

View SOM White Coat Ceremony Instagram Reel

During the ceremony, students are cloaked in white lab coats by various members of SGU administration and faculty or sometimes family members and mentors who have become doctors before them. Students then recite the Oath of Professionalism, where they pledge to honor the sacred trust and privilege society places on medical professionals.

What was it like to be coated? Check out the photos from the most recent SOM White Coat Ceremony.

Nerves and excitement filled the air as students waited patiently for their name to be called.

Dr. Marios Loukas, dean of the School of Medicine welcomed the Class of 2027 and shared three competencies they should always keep in mind—adaptability, positivity, and sacrifice. But above those three, most importantly, they should put their patients first.

This year’s keynote speaker was Dolland Noel, MD ’97, assistant dean of clinical studies, Grenada at SGU and head of the Clinical Training Unit at the Grenada General Hospital. A proud alum, Dr. Noel congratulated the students and reminded them that they are not only part of a fine institution but are also part of an amazing family.

With both his parents being doctors, SOM Term 1 student, Eric Lang felt privileged to have had a window into the profession that he also had fallen in love with. Coated by his proud dad, Dr. Thomas Lang, a rheumatologist from Baltimore, MD, Eric was grateful for his experiences scribing for his dad and conducting research at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.

Shivani Rao, an SOM Term 1 student from New Jersey, was happy to follow in her father, neurologist Dr. Chitharanjan Rao’s footsteps and share in the surreal moment of being coated by him.

Being at SGU felt like a dream come true for SOM Term 1 student Tina Tran. Originally from Vietnam but now living in Tallahassee, FL, her parents were delighted to travel to Grenada to support her on her big day.

SOM Term 1 student Shomari John has spent most of his life working toward achieving his goal of becoming a physician. He was ecstatic to finally be on his way, and though his family back in Trinidad and Tobago couldn’t be there with him, they watched the ceremony online and cheered him on from afar.

It was ear-to-ear smiles for SOM Term 1 student Leah Ayad and her father, Dr. Onsy Ayad, as he coated her at the White Coat Ceremony. Originally from Egypt but now working as a pediatric intensivist in Columbus, OH, Dr. Ayad was proud his daughter understood the huge responsibility it was to take care of another human being and chose to join the medical profession.

The ceremony concluded with students and other physicians in the audience reciting the Oath of Professionalism—pledging to uphold the highest ethical standards while treating their patients.

After the ceremony, students joined their friends and family to capture photos commemorating the special day.

SOM Term 1 student Britton Swisher, his wife Mary, and their twins Charlotte and James, share a moment with SGU Chancellor Dr. Charles R. Modica and his wife Lisa.

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– Ray-Donna Peters