Moment: Monday, July 19th, at 11:40 AM
"Just remember, when you find yourself wishing you could 'just be a doctor already', you only get to do these four years once."
With the number of people who were taking photos and videos, waving, clapping, and cheering, you would have thought a celebrity was making a surprise appearance. But every single person in the room was there to celebrate the start of an incredible journey for a new cohort of future physicians, all 177 of us.
Many celebrations tend to be about a milestone or completion of an accomplishment, whether it's reaching another year on a birthday or anniversary, or finishing a degree at graduation. On the other hand, our white coat ceremony celebrates the beginning of our medical education and our future as doctors. We hadn't even attended a single medical school lecture yet, but this ceremony was to commemorate the hard work, long hours, and sleepless nights we put in to reach this point, as well as our commitment to the next four years of ups and downs that will result in adding two more letters to our names: M.D.
When my name was called and I took my first step onto the stage, I suddenly realized that I was actually in the moment I had been awaiting for over a decade. My professors placed the Texas A&M white coat upon my shoulders, and it was at that moment that time truly stood still. That white coat is not just a tradition - it represents an immense responsibility that I will never take lightly.
We had the opportunity to continue in another tradition by reciting the Hippocratic Oath, which says:
I solemnly pledge to consecrate my life to the service of humanity. I will practice medicine with conscience and dignity. The health and life of my patient will be my first consideration.
I will hold in confidence all that my patient confides in me. I will maintain the honor and the noble traditions of the medical professional. I will give respect and gratitude to my deserving teachers.
My colleagues will be as my family. I will not permit personal considerations to interfere with my duty to my patients. I will maintain the utmost respect for human life.
Even under threat, I will not use my knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity. These promises I make freely and upon my honor.
At the rehearsal, I found myself worrying about the little things, like where to put my phone or how to make my coats look less wrinkled even AFTER my dad ironed it. But at the ceremony, there was a much more important question running around in my head: Can I really do this?
I will have other people entrust their lives into my hands, which is a huge undertaking, and my oath is to always put patients first. So the truth is, I can't do it - at least, not on my own. Thankfully, I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).
I'm told these next four years are going to be very hard (emphasis on VERY!) but I'm glad I have a great support system with me along for the ride. During the ceremony, we were asked to raise our hands if we have a physician in our family who inspired us to go into medicine. I was honored to not only raise my hand for my grandparents, who were incredible influential doctors in their community, but also have my grandmother along with the rest of my family in the auditorium cheering me on. Now, as the Hippocratic Oath says, my colleagues will be as my family, and I am already so inspired by all of their unique stories and experiences.
The white coat ceremony represented a clean slate for me. All of the those times in high school or college when I almost gave up no longer matter, because I made it to the career of my dreams. I'm making Texas A&M my home for another four years, and I can't wait to be an Aggie Doc!
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