Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine’s Class of 2029 took center stage at its White Coat Ceremony on Friday, marking the beginning of their medical school journey.
About 1,000 people watched the ceremony live and online as the 124 newest members of the OUWB family received their white coats.
The ceremony is considered a rite of passage as the white coat has been worn by physicians for more than 100 years and symbolizes the trust between patient and doctor. The class also recites the Oath of Geneva, which is the declaration of physicians’ dedication to the humanitarian goals of medicine.
The oath was led by Christopher Carpenter, M.D., Stephan Sharf Dean, who also welcomed the students, reminded them that they can always count on OUWB for support, and generally set them up for an exciting career in medicine.
“We will always be there to prepare you and remind you why you are in medical school,” he said. “As the years pass, it will become clear that you’re developing into an OUWB-trained physician…one who is culturally aware, competent, and compassionate.”
“The adventure starts now!” he said at the end of the ceremony.
Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D., president Oakland University, said the ceremony “marks a transition into our sacred profession of medicine.”
“In ways big and small you’ll have a wealth of opportunities to make a difference,” she said. “At the heart of every physician’s journey — your journey — is a commitment to heal and serve, now and always.”
“Putting that commitment into practice is the most challenging and rewarding endeavor,” she added.
Abhinav Krishnan, Ph.D., associate dean, Medical School Admissions and Enrollment Management, helped the audience get to know the class. For example, he told the audience that 40 different undergraduate institutions are represented by the class, and they have tallied nearly 90,000 hours of service before starting at OUWB.
“Class of 2029, you were selected by our admissions committee not because of a score, but because of the person behind the application…your integrity, your resilience, compassion, and a sense of service is what brought you here to OUWB,” he said.
“You are now part of a community of dreamers, doers, and healers,” he added. “We’re honored to call all of you members of the OUWB family.”
When it was time for presentation of the white coats, Berkley Browne-Holtz, Ph.D., associate dean, Student Affairs, took the stage.
“By establishing this ritual at the beginning of medical school, we are reinforcing the notion that the responsibilities of a physician start today,” she said. “This ceremony highlights the primacy of the doctor-patient relationship and the obligation to strive for excellence, show compassion, and lead lives of righteousness and honor.”
M2 Page Pistotti, president, Medical Student Government, also welcomed the students. She recalled her own experiences as a first-year medical student and offered words of encouragement.
“The most valuable thing about my experience at OUWB has nothing to do with academics or activities,” she said. “It’s the strength and compassion of the community you are entering today.”
“I believe that this culture is what makes OUWB special, and I am thrilled that you will share in this incredible support network,” she added.
Following the ceremony, students, families, and friends celebrated with a reception and plenty of picture taking.
Many took a moment to reflect on their journey to this day.
David Balistreri joined the U.S. Navy in 2006, where he became a SEAL. He also worked in defense engineering and was a submarine test pilot, before deciding to pursue a career in medicine and attend OUWB.
One moment he said he’ll never forget, however, is crossing the stage Friday to receive his white coat.
“It was a big moment, especially because my wife and son were here,” he said. “He’s 18 months old and I got to kiss him right after I received my white coat. I’ll never forget that moment.”
Rachel Kitagawa said that she looks forward to the journey ahead.
“All of these people here are amazing,” she said. “Even though it’s just been one week, we have gotten to know each other really, really well already. I’m looking forward to working professionally together, and hanging out outside the med school.”
Frejeanne Scott said she felt “extreme gratitude and thankfulness and just happy to be here”.
“I always wanted to be a doctor but life circumstances came into play. It’s time for me to get going with what I always wanted to do,” she said.
Scott said that her journey to medical school taught her not to give up on her dreams, and she encouraged others to do the same.
“Just never give up if it’s something that you really want to do. If it’s your dream, do everything that you can to make it happen,” she said.
As excited as the students were, family members also had their own feelings of pride and joy.
David Grey, M.D., a Corewell Health ophthalmologist and assistant professor, Department of Ophthalmology, OUWB, watched his second son receive an OUWB white coat. (The first was Jonathan Grey, OUWB ’25.)
“We are so proud and so happy … it’s such a great school,” he said. “You can tell just by the speeches today that they care about the students and the education they’re getting.”
Rafey Rehman, M.D., OUWB ’22, took a break from his fourth-year of residency at Wayne State University School of Medicine to watch his brother, Wasey Rehman, receive his white coat.
“It’s surreal,” he said. “He has come such a long way. I’ve watched him studying sciences in high school and undergrad, do service at so many levels…to see his growth and watch him walk across the stage means everything.”
Wasey Rehman called it “an unimaginable moment” and reflected on his life up to this point.
“It’s the end of one fantastic pre-med journey and total excitement for what’s to come,” he said.
For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, senior marketing specialist, OUWB, at [email protected].
To request an interview, visit the OUWB Communications & Marketing webpage.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
