campus news

Jacobs School Class of 2028 welcomed at White Coat Ceremony

A medical student recieving a white coat during a white coat ceremony.

First-year medical student Noah Kim is coated by Lisa Jane Jacobsen, associate dean for curricular innovation. At far right is Fred D. Archer III, who took part in his first White Coat Ceremony as associate dean for admissions at the Jacobs School. Photo: Sandra Kicman

By DIRK HOFFMAN

Published July 25, 2024

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“What I want you to remember is there has never been a more exciting time to be in medicine. ”
Allison Brashear, vice president for health sciences and dean
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences’ Class of 2028 celebrated entry into medical school on July 19 with the traditional White Coat Ceremony held in the Center for the Arts.

The new class consists of 184 students — 180 medical students and four students who are starting in the MD-PhD program.

In welcoming the new class of students, Allison Brashear, vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School, noted the white coat is a symbol of compassion — signifying to the world that the person wearing it is a doctor.

“When you wear the white coat, it is a symbol of your profession and all of the privileges that you have by entering the lives of your patients and their families,” Brashear said.

“What I want you to remember is there has never been a more exciting time to be in medicine. You are entering medicine with an unprecedented chance at exponential knowledge,” she said. “As you wear that white coat, I hope that you continue to have that excitement that you have today as you begin your journey.”

The members of this year’s class were selected from a pool of 5,828 applicants.

Their average GPA is 3.7; their average MCAT score is 510.

Women make up 51% of the class and 22% are first-generation college students.

The vast majority of students — 88% — are from New York State and 29% are from Western New York. Those who earned their undergraduate degrees from UB make up 29% of the class.

Some other interesting statistics:

  • Twelve states are represented.
  • Thirty students have master’s degrees; three have doctorates.
  • More than 29% identify as bilingual.

“This rich diversity is not merely a statistic,” Brashear said. “It is the cornerstone of how we craft a resilient medical workforce that mirrors and champions the communities that we serve.”

“As future physicians you are going to be called in to serve those in need, offering not just your expertise, but your heart, your presence, your compassion and your unwavering intention to make everything a better world.”

To close the ceremony, Brashear led the class in the recitation of the Oath of Medicine.