Huntington Times

The Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine held a White Coat Ceremony for its class of 2028 on Friday, July 26, 2024, at the Marshall Health Network Arena Grand Ballroom in downtown Huntington.

The medical school welcomed its newest class of students to campus on July 24 with a series of orientation activities before the official start of classes. The 82 incoming medical students are set to embark on a four-year journey to become physicians. At Marshall, an integrated core curriculum during the first two years helps students understand the language of medicine. In the third and fourth years, students apply their acquired knowledge as they learn to care for patients.

The Class of 2028 is diverse, representing 35 undergraduate colleges and universities across the country. Notable statistics about the class include:

- 57% are from West Virginia.

- 89% were science majors.

- 10% entered with graduate degrees, including one Doctor of Pharmacy graduate.

- 11% came from Marshall’s BS/MD program, which allows high-performing West Virginia students to complete both their Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine degrees in seven years.

- 9% entered from Marshall’s MD Early Assurance program, providing a clear pathway to medical school for high-achieving undergraduate students at Marshall.

Orientation activities introduced incoming students to the medical school experience. The week began with a picnic sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs, offering a relaxed setting for new students to meet peers and interact with other medical students. Orientation also included a welcome from Dean David Gozal, M.D., MBA, Ph.D. (Hon), "getting to know you" activities, assignment to learning communities, and participation in a peer matching program. Additionally, students met their peer tutors, attended a student panel Q&A session and received an introduction to student organizations and interest groups.

The traditional White Coat Ceremony was sponsored by Dr. Ali and Mrs. Corinna Oliashirazi's family. First introduced at Marshall in 1996, this ceremony is considered a rite of passage designed to instill values such as professionalism, humanism and compassionate care among incoming students. Eva D. Patton-Tackett, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine-pediatrics and program director of internal medicine residency at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine delivered the keynote address and served as honorary cloaker after being selected by the class of 2024 as recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Faculty Award.

Drs. Joseph B. and Omayma T. Touma donated funds to provide each student with a stethoscope while an additional 120 School of Medicine alumni along with family and friends sponsored white coats and medical instruments received during orientation for the Class of 2028.

For news about the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine follow them on Twitter @MUSOMWV or like them on Facebook or visit jcesom.marshall.edu.