On Becoming a Physician Ceremony

On Becoming a Physician

Your medical career officially begins when you take part in the On Becoming a Physician Ceremony at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Our deans, faculty and alumni are establishing standards for you to uphold on your path to becoming a doctor by awarding you the white coat, an annual rite of passage for doctors-to-be to pledge a commitment to the compassionate practice of medicine.

Students are “cloaked” in their first white coat during the ceremony by a member of the Einstein community. Together, as a class, students recite the Class Oath for the first time, emphasizing the primacy of the doctor-patient relationship and the importance of compassion in medicine.

  • Date: August 10, 2023
  • Time: 6:00 pm
  • Location: Robbins Auditorium (registered guests ONLY)
  • Live Stream option: https://tinyurl.com/32yww9t3
    Please refer to your email for the RSVP link and additional information regarding the ceremony. Each student is allowed to bring a maximum of two guests.

White Coat

Entering students are provided a White Coat for the On Becoming a Physician Ceremony. These White Coats are provided by the Alumni Association and do not require any online orders. You have the option to order a personalized Einstein White Coat online through our preferred vendor, Embroidery Zone, for a cost of $35.00.

History of the On Becoming a Physician Ceremony

The On Becoming a Physician Ceremony also know as White Coat Ceremony was created by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation in 1993 as a rite of passage for incoming medical students to accept their primary duty as caregivers and to express their dedication to their profession in response to this difference.

A White Coat Ceremony or comparable symbolic rite of passage is held each year at more than 93 percent of U.S. medical schools with the goal of establishing a psychological contract for the practice of medicine that highlights the value of compassionate care.

On Becoming a Physician Program Class of 2027