Long White Coat Ceremony Celebrates New Doctors

By Dirk Hoffman

Fifty of the new residents who took part in the ceremony graduated from the Jacobs School’s medical education program and are staying in Buffalo for their residency training.

This year’s class of new residents hails from 17 different countries and range in age from 23 to 57.

Forty-nine percent of the trainee class are women.

Nine of the residents graduated from UB’s School of Dental Medicine.

In all, there are 255 incoming trainees who are new to UB residency or fellowship.

The 12th annual Resident Long White Coat Ceremony — sponsored by the Office of Graduate Medical Education (GME), UB’s Richard T. Sarkin, MD, Medical Emeritus Faculty Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation — celebrated the transition from medical students to physicians.

Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, UB’s vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School, provided opening remarks for the ceremony held in the M&T Auditorium that was also attended by family and friends of the new residents.

“This is really a privilege as we gather here together for this moment,” she said. “The Long White Coat ceremony here at the Jacobs School is important. It is a symbol that you are coming into our family, you are surrounded by loved ones, and you are also surrounded by people who will be training you and who will become your peers.”

Brashear reflected on memories of her own residency training at Indiana University and noted that despite not having an official ceremony she remembers hearing about “donning the white coat,” a phrase that stuck with her forever.

She noted the white coat is a symbol of professionalism and is always very important as a symbol identifying physicians to their patients.

“There is no better time to be in health care, and this is the place to be,” Brashear said.

Gregory S. Cherr, MD, senior associate dean for graduate medical education, designated institutional official and professor of surgery, also spoke about white coat ceremonies.

“To me, it is a reminder that when I enter the clinical arena, when I get to the hospital, my focus becomes on what is best for patients and families, but also what is best for learners.”

“As residents, you all will have that dual role of taking great care of patients, and learning, but also teaching.”

Cherr noted UB is one of only 14 medical schools in the world that is home to a resident chapter of the GHHS.

Susan M. Orrange, PhD, assistant dean for education and resident services, noted that at the medical student white coat ceremony at the beginning of medical school the students are coated by faculty.

“Today, as you move into your journey as residents, you will coat each other,” she said. “This is a testament to the importance of peer support during residency. Your peers are going to be critical to your success. Coating each other represents your shared commitment to the noble tradition of doctoring.”

Roseanne C. Berger, MD, clinical associate professor of family medicine and a former UB senior associate dean for GME, noted the UB GME Code of Professional Conduct was developed in 2007 by residents because “of the importance of having professional behavior in the workplace.”

“It was founded around four commitments — to patients and families; to demonstrate respect, compassion and integrity in everything you do; and to faculty, colleagues and staff; and lastly, a commitment to yourself, to take care of yourself because that is part of the professional obligation to be your best.”

The residents then recited the Buffalo Long White Coat Ceremony Oath, led by Berger and Peter S. Martin, MD, PhD, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry. Cherr, Berger, Martin and Orrange are advisers for UB’s resident chapter of GHHS.

Cherr then closed the ceremony by noting that Buffalo is the “City of Good Neighbors.”

“We believe that good neighbors make good doctors,” he said. “We know you are going to be good doctors. We want you to be part of our community and meet the people around you to understand who the people are who you are serving.”

“We would love for you to fall in love with Buffalo just as much as we love it and stay here for the rest of your lives.”