White coats, big dreams: CMSRU welcomes Class of 2029 into the medical profession

With applause echoing through Pfleeger Concert Hall, 118 future physicians took the stage at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) on August 8 for a moment they will never forget -- donning their white coats for the first time. The annual White Coat Ceremony marked their official entry into the medical profession, symbolizing a commitment to science, service and compassionate care.

The ceremony opened with a warm welcome from CMSRU Dean Annette C. Reboli, MD, who congratulated the students and acknowledged the unwavering support of their families. “The white coat is more than fabric. It is a symbol of your promise to practice medicine with knowledge, integrity, and compassion,” she told the students. “Our role at CMSRU is to guide you through rigorous science, immersive clinical experiences, and mentorship so you may become professionals truly worthy of the coat you now wear.”

Rowan University Provost Voki Prophistic, PhD, also greeted the students, highlighting the transformative growth of Rowan University and CMSRU’s role as a national leader in medical education. “Choosing to attend Cooper Medical School of Rowan University is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make,” she said, noting U.S. News and World Report’s recognition of CMSRU for primary care and research. “You’ll learn from exceptional faculty who will guide you, challenge you and teach you how to best serve others with unwavering dedication to patient advocacy, civic responsibility and health equity.”

The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Anna Pancheshnikov, MD, a physician and educator dedicated to advancing global and women’s health, urged the Class of 2029 to define and pursue their higher purpose. “Find your purpose. Let it be big, audacious, unattainable, transcendent, lofty, and outrageous,” she said. “Protect it, nurture it, let it guide you. Wake up each day with it in mind and go to sleep knowing you took even the smallest step toward it. When the noise gets too loud, let your purpose be your quiet, unshakable, guiding compass.”

Dr. Pancheshnikov is an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at CMSRU and director of the school’s Center for Global Health, Global Health Education, and Global Health Scholarly Concentration.

The highlight of the event was the ceremonial cloaking of the students in their white coats. Students were called one-by-one to the stage, where they were cloaked in their white coats by faculty mentors. Each student also received a new stethoscope compliments of the Medical Staff of Cooper University Health Care. In addition, family, friends and mentors provided inspirational notes that were placed in the pockets of the students’ white coats.

Associate Dean for Professional Development and Director of the Edward D. Viner Center for Humanism Lawrence Weisberg, MD, then led the first-year students in reciting a modern version of the Hippocratic Oath for the first time. The oath underscored the students’ commitment to the highest standards of the medical profession. All guests who were physicians were invited to stand and renew their commitment by participating in the recitation as well.

Dean Reboli closed the event with words of encouragement, reminding the students of the profound impact they will have in the field of medicine. “Congratulations to each and every one of you on this momentous occasion. I look forward to witnessing the remarkable contributions you will make in the years to come.”

CMSRU’s 118 new first year medical students join the 349 students already attending the school, bringing enrollment to 467 students. Seventy-one percent of the Class of 2029 hail from New Jersey, and 15 are Rowan University alumni.