The Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine celebrated a significant milestone for its first class of medical students with an inaugural White Coat Ceremony today, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m. at Methodist University’s Huff Concert Hall.

The ceremony formally welcomed the Class of 2030 into the medical profession and marked an important step in the students’ journey toward becoming physicians. The 64-member class started classes in July.

Dr. Roger Strasser, founding dean emeritus of NOSM University in Canada, delivered the ceremony’s keynote address. A leader in community-based medical education, Strasser helped establish NOSM’s first independent medical university, with a mission centered on improving health and health care through education, research, and community engagement.

“The White Coat Ceremony is an important milestone in a medical student’s journey, representing the trust, responsibility, and commitment that comes with becoming a physician,” said Hershey Bell, MD, founding dean of the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, in a press release. “We are also looking forward to welcoming Dr. Strasser and Dr. Sarah Strasser and having them spend time with our students, faculty, and community in the days leading up to the White Coat Ceremony. Their experience building a medical school from the ground up offers a unique perspective for our students, and we are honored to have him share in this important moment as the students begin their journey toward becoming physicians.”

The White Coat Ceremony is a longstanding tradition at medical schools across the country and serves as a symbolic introduction to the responsibilities and professionalism of the medical profession. During the ceremony, students received their first white coats, signifying their transition into the clinical profession and their commitment to compassionate, ethical patient care.