White Coat Ceremony represents sacrifice and hard work for MD students
By Cam Buchan
Salman Choudhry, Medicine Class of 2025, knows the sacrifice that made the 2022 White Coat Ceremony at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry so special for him.
Choudhry’s parents emigrated from Pakistan with the dream of giving their family a better life. And as he prepared for the ceremony, Choudhry was keenly aware of the opportunity he was given.
“I’m really glad to be here. I’m humbled on their behalf as well as to have this opportunity to go into a career in health care and be a physician and care for others, so this is a big step towards that goal,” said Choudhry.
The White Coat Ceremony, held at Alumni Hall on August 16, welcomes students who were admitted into the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program during the years affected by the pandemic, and are now part of the Medicine Classes of 2024, 2025, and 2027. The event celebrates the transition to academic and clinical training and serves as a symbolic welcome into the medical profession.
Watch the ceremony here.
Other students were just as happy to celebrate the milestone in their careers.
“I’m finally welcomed into the medical community, something I’ve been working so hard to achieve, and this is the gateway to it,” said Maegan Miklas, Medicine Class of 2025. “I’m very excited for the future.”
Samantha Bolger, Medicine Class of 2025, was excited to see everyone celebrating together. “This day is really exciting to celebrate with my family, who have supported me in getting here,” said Bolger. “It’s also really exciting to see everyone together and celebrating.”
The event is the result of hard work for both Karen Michael and Sherwin Rajkumar, each Medicine Class of 2025.
“Today is a culmination of a lot of the hard work that we have put in for the last two years,” said Michael. “And it’s really starting a new phase in my life with my family and friends all supporting me here.”
“My parents sacrificed a lot for me to be here. It has been a lot of hard work but there have been a lot of people who have helped me along the way,” said Rajkumar. “I’m happy to have finally reached that goal and have all of the hard work pay off.”
The White Coat Ceremony for the incoming Schulich Medicine Class of 2026 takes place on Sept. 10.
