FAU Charles E Schmidt College of Medicine Class of 2024 Receives White Coats at Virtual Ceremony.
By: Robert S Weinroth
Congratulations to the FAU Charles E Schmidt College of Medicine Class of 2024 on receiving your first “White Coat” at today’s virtual ceremony.
“Today’s ceremony, which highlights humanism as the core value of health care, is the first step in your development as humanistic doctors who embody compassion, altruism, respect, resiliency, empathy and service,” said Phillip Boiselle, M.D., dean of FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine.
“Today and every day forward, remember that the power of the white coat lies in how you conduct yourself while wearing it. On behalf of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, we officially welcome you to our family and into the practice of medicine.”
“These white coats symbolize your entry into the medical profession and your commitment to uphold the highest ethical and professional standards,” said Markowitz. “As you are cloaked with your first white coat, always ponder this important question, ‘How will you measure up when you put on this coat every day after today?’ With this white coat, you now place yourself in the service of humankind. Congratulations and welcome class of 2024!”
The fundraising event, created developed and co-chaired by Kaye Communications, has also become the college’s principal scholarship fundraising event. It has raised more than $600,000 since its inception, which has helped more than 500 medical students.
With the average cost of medical school education and living expenses reaching $250,000 for students in-state to $400,000 for students out-of-state, 85 percent of students require financial assistance. Often this heavy debt impacts a student’s choice of medical schools as well as their medical specialty based on its income potential to repay loans.
“Scholarship funds raised by White Coats-4-Care provide need-based financial support for gifted students who do not have the financial means to pay full tuition and give merit-based support to recognize their achievements,” Bonnie Kaye shared with attending donors. “Most importantly, these scholarships give students the ability to choose a career path in primary care – internal medicine, pediatrics and family medicine – in which salaries are lower than other medical specialties, but the impact on our community is the greatest.”
