The inaugural white coat ceremony for the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering took place Friday, Aug. 7. The 36 future ASU physician-engineers bring exceptional academic achievement, varied backgrounds and a shared commitment to improving health care through innovation, technology and compassionate patient care.
The ceremony is a rite of passage for newly accepted medical students to receive their white physician coats to mark the beginning of their medical training. The class recited an oath to express their commitment to the profession as they begin their journey. This ceremony is practiced by nearly all accredited U.S. medical schools and marks a milestone in ASU history with the school’s first class.
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The school’s founding dean, Dr. Sarah “Holly” Hollingsworth Lisanby; HonorHealth CEO Todd LaPorte; and the school’s namesake, Dr. John Shufeldt, delivered inspiring remarks. Students formally received their white coats in front of family, friends and faculty, and walked across the stage. Arizona Poet Laureate Alberto Rios, ASU professor and director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, recited a commemorative poem written specifically for the class of 2030.
The first ASU medical cohort includes 36 medical engineering students from 11 states across the country. The cohort is 67% male, 33% female, 8% first generation students, and collectively speaks 19 languages. Meet the class of 2030.
