White Coat Ceremony

The Ceremony

The traditional white coat is an outward sign of the medical profession and has been worn by physicians for more than 100 years. The formal presentation of the white coat symbolizes an osteopathic medical student’s entrance into a new academic environment and the acceptance of the obligations and high standards of compassionate care that are expected. Each year, in a ceremony held during ACOM Family Weekend, the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine marks the achievements of first-year medical students with the presentation of the white coat by each student’s faculty advisor.