Over 150 Valley Medical Students Receive White Coats
October 7, 2022
The California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) hosted a White Coat Ceremony for its largest cohort of medical students on Saturday, October 1, at the Paul Shaghoian Memorial Concert Hall.
Over 150 medical students in the class of 2026 received their white coat in the presence of their family and friends.
The White Coat Ceremony signifies the beginning of a medical student’s journey and the short white coat is a display to the medical community that they are in the process of learning their trade. Eventually a student will receive their long white coat. Students also received an Arnold P. Gold Foundation “Keeping Healthcare Human” pin in recognition of the first White Coat Ceremony celebrated in 1993.
John Graneto, DO, Dean of the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine shared the history of the white coat and the importance of maintaining professionalism and humanism in health care careers.
“I’m very proud that our medical students represent the Central Valley populations we serve through CHSU’s and the medical community’s focused efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion in medicine and medical education,” said Dr. Graneto.
Marc Lynch, DO, President of the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California provided a welcome address at the ceremony and coated the first student. Dr. Lynch serves as Board member for the California Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (CASIPP), former Chief of Staff and current Chair in the Department of Surgery at Chino Valley Medical Center, and current Chief of Staff at Kindred Hospital in Ontario. He also teaches osteopathic students for pain management rotations and conducts yearly fellowship courses in advanced spinal cord stimulation for residents at several California universities.
The white coats were generously sponsored by the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California, an organization focused on advancing and supporting osteopathic physicians in California by serving its mission to engage, educate, and advocate for DOs, so doctors can focus on being doctors. Founded in 1961, the association serves over 9,000 current and future doctors of osteopathic medicine throughout California.
Medical students were coated by Lisa Chun, DO, Associate Dean, Osteopathic Clinical Education and Simulation; Sundeep Grewal, DO, Assistant Professor of Primary Care; Sidney James, DO, Assistant Professor of Specialty Medicine; and Krista Lund, DO, Assistant Professor of Osteopathic Principles and Practices.
The recording of the full ceremony is posted to the CHSU YouTube channel. Students received a link to download photos from the ceremony.