On August 13, 148 first-year M.D. students at Albert Einstein College of Medicine gathered in Robbins Auditorium for the annual On Becoming A Physician ceremony, where they received monogrammed white coats, stethoscopes, and Arnold P. Gold Foundation pins signifying support for humanism in healthcare. Faculty leaders in the four houses of the Einstein Learning Communities Program announced each student as they proceeded to the stage and donned their new white coats with the assistance of Einstein and Montefiore leaders.

“It was a surreal moment, a proud moment,” said student Guathami Moorkanat, who added that she was “ready to get into the thick of things” after a weeklong orientation with opportunities to socialize and bond with classmates. Ms. Moorkanat, a former patient navigator who co-founded a breast cancer education and advocacy nonprofit organization while an undergraduate in Philadelphia, was drawn to Einstein because of its dedication to caring for Bronx residents, particularly in its service-learning program. “Einstein was a really good fit,” she said. “It champions serving the community.”

Offering Inspiration and Encouragement

Numerous faculty and alumni speakers at the ceremony stressed the importance of humility, integrity, curiosity, and the need to listen to their patients.

“Your patients will teach you far more than any textbook or manuscript,” said Yaron Tomer, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley Katz Dean and chief academic officer at Montefiore Einstein. “If you listen, they will make you better physicians...There’s no healing without compassion, trust, and hope.”

Yoon Kang, M.D., vice dean for education and the Ruth L. Gottesman Chair in Education reminded students that “you belong here” and urged them to reflect on the responsibility embodied in the physician’s white coat.

“The white coat itself serves as the uniform of our profession but far more importantly the white coat is a symbol of a commitment to humanism and to the care of the patient,” said Dr. Kang. “It is a visible promise that no matter what path you take in your career in medicine, that you are doing this in the service of a patient.”

Other speakers included: Philip O. Ozuah, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Montefiore Einstein; Amanda Raff, M.D. ’98, senior associate dean for medical education; Sandra Oza, M.D., M.A., assistant dean for learning communities; and Alumni Association President Richard Frankenstein, M.D., ’74, who spoke on behalf of Einstein’s more than 11,000 alumni. Raja Flores, M.D. ’92, chair of thoracic surgery at Mount Sinai Health System, urged the students to understand the tremendous achievements made in the medical field and their role in carrying it forward.

“This is a profession that cured smallpox, a disease that killed 500 million people,” said Dr. Flores. “This is a field that mapped the human genome. This profession keeps people from dying from AIDS. This profession will one day cure cancer. This is your profession. A doctor is not just a job, it is a calling.”

Among the special guests who joined hundreds of friends and family members was Ruth Gottesman, Ed.D., chair of the Einstein Board of Trustees, whose transformational gift in 2023 established a scholarship fund covering tuition and educational and technology fees for students pursuing an M.D. degree. The crowd rose several times to give her a standing ovation.

Following the speeches, students Yasmeen Gauri, Olivia Howard, and Kailie Kentopp, led the class in reciting an oath crafted by a committee of students over several days during orientation. Among its vows: “I will remember that medicine is not just the treatment of disease but an engagement with the patient as a whole person; I will provide empathetic care that honors the dignity and autonomy of all people, regardless of background or identity; I will serve as a pillar of trust and source of credible information for my patients.”

Class Spirit

Dr. Kang closed the ceremony by emphasizing the need for students to learn from each other, embrace their individuality, and look to the future. “Although the white coat is the uniform of our profession, there will not be uniformity in what you do,” she said. “Look around at one another. You are looking at diversity of thought and life experience, intellectual fire power, and unlimited curiosity. You are looking at the future of medicine and the future looks very, very bright.”

Taraje Whitfield, a first-generation student, praised the collaboration and community he has already witnessed at Einstein, noting the white coat “makes me realize how important it is to treat people as a whole. A patient is not a statistic, a symptom or a disease—they’re a full person, with family members who care about them, too.”

Another student, Katie Margolis, took advantage of an unexpected moment after the ceremony where she met Dr. Gottesman to personally thank her for her generosity.

“It feels like the achievement of a lifetime,” Ms. Margolis said of receiving her white coat and beginning her medical education at Einstein. “It’s overwhelming and exciting, and I feel very grateful to be here,” she said, adding that the College of Medicine’s commitment to service attracted her to the school. “I’ve been fortunate and now it’s my duty to give back to others.”