Students Receive White Coats as They Begin 'PA Journey'

The 40 new Physician Associate (PA) Program students in Yale School of Medicine’s (YSM) PA Class of 2026 were welcomed to the profession on August 23, receiving white coats and stethoscopes before a crowd of family, friends, and YSM community members in Mary S. Harkness Hall.

In opening remarks at the ceremony, PA Program Director David Brissette, MMSc, PA-C, stated, “this momentous occasion marks the beginning of an amazing voyage—one that will test your minds, nurture your hearts, and transform you into compassionate and capable healers.” Turning to the meaning of the white coat, he said it “reminds us of the profound impact that you, as future physician associates, will have on the lives of countless individuals and communities. By donning this coat, you accept the responsibility of not only acquiring medical knowledge and skills, but also upholding the highest standards of professionalism, fostering human connection, and demonstrating empathy with a patient-centered focus.”

Jean and David W. Wallace Dean and C.N.H. Long Professor of Internal Medicine Nancy J. Brown, MD, echoed this theme, reminding the students, “As you embark on this profession, it is important to understand you are making a commitment and the white coat is a symbol of that commitment, representing professionalism and the humanism of the profession.” She also emphasized that it is a privilege to care for people who trust in you when they are at their most vulnerable.

Keynote speaker Indumathi Dhakshinamurthy, MMSc, PA-C, a 2020 graduate of the YSM PA Program, used the metaphor of a train journey to provide advice about PA school, starting with the White Coat Ceremony. “You have already embarked on a very crazy yet rewarding train ride, and though this is quite a remarkable stop, your PA journey has many more to come.”

Reflecting on her own time at YSM as an example for what is ahead for the new students, Dhakshinamurthy stated, “We all started on very different routes from across the continent, but as a class, we were on this PA journey together, both inside and outside the classroom,” sharing how they supported and learned from each other during the didactic year, while enjoying extracurricular and social activities.

“Fast forward a few more fun train stops,” Dhakshinamurthy continued, and “clinical clerkships were now right around the corner.” She shared how “hanging in the back of my closet was my clean crisp white coat, with my long name embroidered on it.” While she had been excited to wear the coat when she received it at her own White Coat Ceremony the previous year, right before clerkships began, “I was feeling nervous. The thought of working longer hours, having more responsibility, and higher expectations was overwhelming.”

Dhakshinamurthy described how she used a previous work experience— when she was preparing to be cleared from EMT orientation to begin running her own 911 medical calls — to calm her nerves. At that time, her preceptor “reassured me, reminded me I knew the basics and that most importantly, I cared, that’s really all that matters.” Therefore, as she put on her white coat with her stethoscope prior to her first clerkship, “I remembered that this coat was a physical reminder of the job I have been training for and that I swore an oath to do it well.”

Dhakshinamurthy then recited a seven-word philosophical poem, a “Thirukural,” written by Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar, which dates from between 300 BC and 600 AD. (She explained that for four years during primary school, her “train ride” had taken her to the southernmost state of India, Tamil Nadu, where she studied Tamil, one of the world’s oldest languages and her parents’ native tongue.)

“Noynaati noymuthal naati athothanikkum

Vaaynaati vaaypas seyal”

(In the original Tamil)

"தமிழ்:

நோய்நாடி நோய்முதல் நாடி அதுதணிக்கும்

வாய்நாடி வாய்ப்பச் செயல்."

She translated this as “Diagnose the illness, trace its cause, seek the proper remedy, and apply it with skill,” Dhakshinamurthy then expanded on its meaning, saying, “Do more than hand a patient a pill. Explain to them why it may work for them and show them compassion. While advancements in artificial intelligence and other technologies are exciting and efficient, let’s not forget the basics. Your white coat is an honor, so wear it with pride. You are practicing a very noble and historical ideology. Every time you speak with and listen to a patient while wearing your white coat, you are giving them a sense of hope that their very bad day can turn for the better.”

Returning to the train metaphor, Dhakshinamurthy told the students that while they will make mistakes over time, “you will undoubtedly grow from these experiences and get back on a track. Remember, you’re not alone. Your classmates are chugging along beside you experiencing every emotion you are, so help each other, learn from one another.” She also reminded them that their future preceptors — like her — “have been in your shoes, so trust us to mentor and provide you with a safe environment where you can thrive as an amazing Yale PA student.”

Dhakshinamurthy ended her speech with a reference to the last Harry Potter book, where Harry arrives to an empty train station of uncertainty and questions whether he has the choice of boarding a maybe imaginary train. “‘And where would it take me?’ Harry asks. Professor Dumbledore simply replies, ‘On.’ Congratulations and welcome to Yale. Grab your white coats and all aboard!” concluded Dhakshinamurthy.

After the keynote, each first-year student was called to the stage, where a second-year student helped them don their white coat. In turn, each first-year student gave the second-year a pin with the YSM crest. As Brissette explained, the pin “is a reminder that it is not enough to master your studies and strive to be the best clinician you can be,” rather, “when we get to where we are going, we need to help those who follow.”

Each first-year student also received a stethoscope, donated by PA Program alumni. Because donors wrote special messages to students, Brissette described how “the stethoscope goes beyond its role of connecting patient to provider, it becomes a conduit linking alumni and current students, enriching the circle of connection within this outstanding program.”