September 11, 2008

Medical leaders of tomorrow are
welcomed to their chosen profession

During the annual White Coat Ceremony, the 100 members of the Class of 2012 were robed in physicians’ garb as they took a decisive step in their journey toward becoming doctors.

Deputy Dean for Education Richard Belitsky, Associate Dean for Student Affairs Nancy Angoff and Assistant Dean for Multicultural Affairs Forrester Lee look on as Esther Lee, Princeton ’08, slips into her white coat during the annual White Coat Ceremony.

Before family, friends and a phalanx of School of Medicine administrators and professors, members of the Class of 2012 gathered in Harkness Auditorium on Aug. 26 for a rite of passage marking their welcome to the field of medicine.

During the annual White Coat Ceremony, faculty members cloaked students in the garb traditionally worn by physicians. Keynote speaker Frederick D. Haeseler, M.D., director of the primary care clerkship and associate clinical professor of medicine, described medicine as having both scientific and human dimensions. “When physicians connect these two,” he said, “they are practicing the art of medicine.”

Dean Robert J. Alpern, M.D., talked about the Yale system of medical education, which rejects grades and class rank, but requires that students do a thesis based on original research. This approach, which is unique among medical schools, is often cited by students as their chief reason for choosing Yale.

“Were we trying to make it easier for you as students?” Alpern asked. “The answer is that we expect greater things from you than grades could ever engender. We expect you to become leaders in the medical world of tomorrow.”

The 100 members of the Class of 2012 were chosen from the largest applicant pool in the School of Medicine’s history. Of 4,139 applicants, only 5.9 percent were accepted. “This was an amazing year,” said Richard Silverman, director of admissions.

The class is composed of 51 women and 49 men. A total of 24 are underrepresented minorities, and 26 were born outside the United States. Class members hail from 18 countries and hold undergraduate degrees from 55 colleges. A total of 46 took time between college and medical school to pursue other interests.

“Lots have been doing fellowships, research, volunteer work, or advanced degrees for one or two years. Many have been involved with some kind of health care program in various parts of the country, or parts of the world,” says Silverman. “There’s a lot of talent in this class.”

—Charles Gershman