White Coat Ceremony

Ryan was accepted into the UW School of Medicine Spokane, and his year started on August 8. There is an organization called WWAMI, which stands for Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, the states involved in this medical education program. This organization's mission is to promote and support the program, and make the students feel welcome, secure, and encouraged.

One of the more practical and meaningful things they do is to provide the white coats and stethoscopes presented at the White Coat Ceremony, which for us took place on Friday evening at the Riverpointe campus. Speakers elaborated on the personal and broader meanings of their own white coats. The evening was relaxed and fairly semi-formal, with cake and fruit platter refreshments afterward.

The freshmen class (11 guys, 9 girls)

Amy came over for the special occasion!

Stylin' with attitude

Proud family

The fan club

TRUST students (Targeted Rural and Underserved Tracts)

Auntie Barb came! She's been a tremendous encouragement and 

support throughout his whole undergrad term. Love her so much!

Reciting The Physician's Oath aloud

Red Robin with Schaffers before the ceremony.

They came all the way from Idaho to be with us!

(Sam backed away from the table, so he's not seen. :/ )

It was a joyful, celebratory time full of hope, anticipation, and the promise of much blood, sweat, tears, and challenge, peppered with success, failure, and all degrees of both in between. My favorite speaker was the fourth year student, a resident who spoke with clarity and emotion about his own successes and failures and vision. He sized it up as a profession with great potential highs and lows, but to always consider each patient and his life as a whole, because they all deserve your equal respect. It was gallant and refreshing. 

I believe Ryan will fulfill the reputation of the white coat as he strives to raise the bar and honor human life as of precious value. It was a great evening to welcome and honor these up and coming physicians and acknowledge their friend and family support. Cheers, Ryan!