Student Comments - White Coat 2007

Jeremiah Eisenschenk
It's a welcoming event and exhibition of support from the medical community as we, UM-Duluth first-year medical students, begin to fulfill our vocations as physicians.  

Ryan Fader
I really liked the fact that our white coats were sponsored.  It gave the coat a special sense of meaning that we were being sponsored to embark down the path of medicine.

Tyler Helland
It is an honor to receive this powerful symbol of the profession that is given to us by our predecessors, who we all have the utmost respect for, as they welcome us as colleagues. This ceremony made me feel like a professional and my family loved it.

David Johnson
It was nice for everyone's family to come and see us all be formally recognized as entering the world of medicine.  My godparents sponsored my White Coat which was very special to me because my godfather has always been an inspiring figure in my path to medical school.

Marie Lang
I had been told that the White Coat Ceremony was an important milestone in the career of a medical student, but Saturday's ceremony meant much more for me than just the honor of receiving the mark of a medical professional - a white coat. To me, the White Coat Ceremony signifies the beginning of this challenging and fulfilling journey that we, as medical students, have all begun. Invitations to the ceremony were sent to our families and close friends, and both of my parents and my grandmother attended the ceremony. At the Ceremony, I got in line with the rest of my classmates to be "coated," then returned to my seat to watch the rest of the ceremony. When I sat down, I noticed that there was a card in my pocket and I pulled it out. Inside the card, I read that my white coat was sponsored by Dody Stoy. My grandmother, without my knowledge, had contributed money to purchase my white coat in honor and in memory of my grandfather who passed away 4 years ago. My grandfather was a family practice doctor for many years in Little Falls, MN, and he has been one of my heroes since I was very young. He is one of the main reasons why I have chosen to pursue medicine. The little note in the pocket of my white coat read, "I'm so proud of you. Love, Grandpa Bob." My grandmother's gift of a white coat in honor of him is a gift without words, and she made Saturday's ceremony a memorable and touching experience for me.

Jennifer Landwehr
Receiving the White Coat represents my transition into medical school and into the profession of medicine.  At the ceremony, I felt welcomed into a wonderful profession by many physicians. I also felt proud of my accomplishments and privileged to be where I am and sharing it with my family. And the sponsorship shows how much they care about the profession and how much they want to support education.

Katherine Lenz
To me, the White Coat symbolized my invitation into the medical profession.  It was about being truly accepted into the profession of excellence that I had worked so hard to become a part of.  Receiving my white coat at the beginning of my medical education meant to me that those around me had faith in me that I would succeed in this path I have chosen.  At the ceremony, I felt very proud of myself and my classmates.  I felt honored to be able to be standing with them and reciting that code.  I think the whole ceremony was quite unforgettable. Finding out who sponsored our coats made it all the more personable. It just emphasized one more time that people believed in us and what we are trying to accomplish.  It made the coats seem more personal, more important if that's possible.

Sandra Riggs
Receiving my white coat signifies my entrance into the medical profession. It serves as a constant reminder as to what I am working towards. It also helps us look more professional when we see patients during our education. The ceremony made me feel like I am one step closer to becoming a physician. I think it is very generous for someone to sponsor our white coat and to invest in our futures like that.

Erik Scharrer
The white coat symbolizes that we are entering the profession of medicine now during our training, not just when we get our first real job or even at the beginning of residency. And it reiterated the importance of our campus and our mission to rural and American Indian medicine.  The drumming was phenomenal!  We all appreciated the gifts very, very much!!!  People who sponsored the white coats showed that there is support for the mission of our school and appreciation for the finished product of professional physicians.