Illinois Medicine

white coat report by Richard Asa First-Year Students Welcomed to Campus White Coat Ceremony for M1s an 'awesome, wonderful' experience T he first-year students walked into the UIC Forum auditorium single file, a living ribbon of reds, blues, greens, grays and golds. Soon, they began to form a sea of bright white — as befitted the White Coat Ceremony, the College of Medicine's welcoming event for M1s. That symbolism was not lost on their families, who filled bleachers that rose above the podium and dramatized the effect. Before the students celebrated, during an event held late last summer in conjunction with alumni reunion weekend (see related story, page 33), faculty speakers had some words of wisdom. George Kondos, MD, professor and vice chair for clinical affairs in the department of medicine, told them that medical school is "college on steroids." "The volume of material you have to learn is huge; the pace is frenetic," he said. "You also have more responsibility for A first-year student is fitted for his White Coat during the annual ceremony for incoming M1s, held at the UIC Forum. learning in your hands than you ever had before. So, set priorities and get organized." been very bright, and when he puts himself to a task, he succeeds at As students' names were called, their photos flashed on two it—and that's what all these students have in common." large screens astride the stage, with their names and hometowns. "Seeing the newly admitted students in the College of Medicine Simultaneously, school administrators helped them into the white don their white coats represents, to me, a willful acceptance of the coats that will be the "mantle of their profession," as described by Dean responsibilities," Conley said. "This symbol is a demonstration of their Dimitri Azar, MD, MBA. willingness to sacrifice years of their lives for the privilege of serving As they returned to their seats, the sea of white grew until the others. … last student, Eric Zielinski of McHenry, Ill., sat down, just after Anna "Seeing my son put on his coat reminded me of all the work Zelivianskala of Moscow, Russia. Other students came from as far as that all the students present have given in pursuit of this goal," he Lima, Peru; Raleigh, N.C.; Anchorage, Alaska; Buenos Aires, Argentina; added. "My feeling was beyond pride; it was esteem." Santiago, Chile; and Reserve, N.M., while a majority of students hailed During a post-ceremony celebration, M1 student Emma Nash from Illinois. from Rockford, Ill., called the experience "awesome, wonderful. I was Two of the proud parents included University of Illinois so excited just to finally get here. It's a lot more real now." She intends administrators Joe G.N. "Skip" Garcia, MD, vice president for health to pursue pediatric surgery and says, "I can't wait." affairs; and Patrick R. Conley, PhD, director of testing services for the "It's very exciting. I thought the ceremony was excellent, with College of Medicine. great speakers," said mother Becky Mayo of Glen Ellyn, Ill. "It makes "The White Coat Ceremony is a wonderful beginning to a career it feel that this is the profession he has chosen." Her son, Benjamin of discovery, exploration and humanism in medicine," Garcia said. "It's Mayo, said he chose the College of Medicine because he "enjoyed very important to remember that patients … want to know that you the interview process. Everyone was very friendly, and it seemed like care, and if that's what we impart, we'll continue to graduate fantastic a good community. That was a very big part of it. There's so much doctors. opportunity here with a big city and a big campus network. "As a parent, it's just pure pride," he added. "Alex has always P h o t o : D i a n e Sm u t n y illinois medicine | 29

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