Media advisory: UB medical school’s class of 2018 takes the oath of medicine

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Class of 2018 of the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences will participate in the White Coat Ceremony at 3 p.m. today, Aug. 15, in the Center for the Arts on the UB North Campus.

The White Coat Ceremony is a symbolic rite of passage shared by medical students across the U.S. to establish a psychological contract for professionalism and empathy in the practice of medicine.

At the ceremony, all 144 medical students will take the Oath of Medicine. During the "calling of the class," students will be called to the stage individually to be presented with their coat while their undergraduate institution and hometown is identified by Charles M. Severin, MD, PhD, UB associate dean for medical education and admissions.

Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and dean of the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, will give the welcome, where he traditionally tells the students: "You have earned the right to wear one. Now you must earn the right to keep it."

The keynote address will be given by Helen Cappuccino, MD, a medical school alumna, clinical assistant professor of surgery at UB and assistant professor of oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo.

Kirk A. Scirto, MD, a medical school alumnus, clinical assistant professor of family medicine and a family physician with Jericho Road Community Health Center, will be presented with the 2014 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award.

For press arrangements, please contact Ellen Goldbaum in the UB Office of University Communications at 716-645-4605 or 716-771-9255 on-site.