School of Medicine Class of 2030 Dons Their White Coats for the First Time

SOM Dean Neil Schluger, M.D., spoke to the first-year students regarding three values that he encouraged them to embrace during their medical education and through their careers—humility, respect for a person, and excellence. “Our job, your job, is to take care of people, and quite literally, at some point in your career, someone's life will be in your hands,” he said. “Because of that, as future physicians and as medical students, you have no choice but to set a standard for yourself to be excellent in your studies and in your practice, because someone's life really might depend on that.”

Tracey Milligan, M.D., M.S., chair of the Department of Neurology, delivered an uplifting keynote address on the privilege and responsibility of practicing medicine. “I am a neurologist, an epileptologist, and a medical educator. One of the great pleasures of teaching is welcoming new people into a profession I love,” she said.

Reflecting on the meaning of the white coat, Dr. Milligan shared the story of a patient who frequently arrived late or missed appointments. On one occasion when she finally asked her about it, the patient explained that she had been without anti-seizure medication and didn’t have bus fare that day, but a bus driver allowed her to ride for free so she could make it to her appointment. “What sounded so difficult to me was simply part of her everyday life,” Dr. Milligan said. “I had noticed the appointments she missed. I had not understood what it took for her to keep one, or what was at stake when she could not.” The experience prompted her to arrange a bus pass and home medication delivery for the patient.

Dr. Milligan encouraged members of the Class of 2030 to remember that technical expertise alone is not enough. “Over time, the pockets of your white coat will fill with the instruments of your work. I am partial to the reflex hammer,” she said. “But the most important instrument you bring to the patient’s room is your attention.” She urged the new physicians to remain fully present with patients, especially when busy, tired, or convinced they already understand the situation.

“Your patients will also teach you things you could never learn in a classroom,” Dr. Milligan said. “The next time you meet a patient, learn something about them that you could not have learned from their chart. Let that curiosity become a habit you carry throughout your career. Your knowledge will grow. Your judgment will deepen. You will learn to recognize things you cannot yet imagine. As you learn to see more, never stop seeing the person.”

NYMC Gold Humanism Honor Society co-presidents Katharyn Fatehi and Jenny Yang, members of the SOM Class of 2027, also offered their advice to the Class.  

“Humanism is at the core of medicine. Over the next four years, you’re going to learn an incredible amount. You’ll spend countless hours studying diseases, medications, anatomy, and physiology. And all of that knowledge certainly matters. But as you move through medical school, especially once you begin your clerkships, I think you’ll realize that knowing how to treat someone’s condition is only part of being a good physician,” said Fatehi.

“Trust is one of the most important components of health care,” she continued. “Listen to them. Make eye contact. Acknowledge their concerns. Provide support. Answer their questions. Be honest when you don’t know something. And remember that the person in front of you is more than the disease you’re learning about.”

“You will have days where the exams seem endless, and the responsibilities pile up, and in those moments, remember the energy in this room, the excitement of you and your loved ones as you started on this journey,” said Yang. “Remember that in the end, you didn’t do this for a grade or an award; you did this for your future patients.

“As you don this coat, you join the ranks of hundreds of thousands of physicians before you who have promised to listen with empathy, to offer comfort in moments of fear, and to do right by their patients,” Yang continued. “Congratulations Class of 2030, and welcome to the noble profession of medicine.”

The moment the first-year medical students had been anticipating finally arrived as they crossed the stage and proudly donned their white coats with the assistance of SOM faculty members. The ceremony concluded with the recitation of an oath the Class created during their first weeks of medical school. The oath reflects the principles they believe define an exceptional physician, underscoring a commitment to empathy, integrity, and excellence as they embark on their journey into the profession.