UT medical students begin journey with White Coat Ceremony
Jul. 30—Nearly 7,000 applied, but less than 200 were chosen.
The path to becoming a medical student at the University of Toledo is not easy. Even harder are the years ahead necessary to becoming a doctor of medicine. On Friday, 176 first-year students took the first step toward reaching that goal, earning their first milestone of many to come: the ceremonial white coat event.
The ceremony, which took place this year at the Stranahan Theater's Great Hall, is a rite of passage for first-year medical students and culminates their week of orientation. Three quarters of this year's class hail from Ohio, one quarter are from northwest Ohio, and others come to the college from states like Michigan, New York, Florida, and California.
Dr. Chris Cooper, UT's dean of the college of medicine and life sciences, said the class has an average grade point average of about 3.7, and is comprised of students who scored in the top 10 percent in the Medical College Admission Test.
"Academically, your accomplishments are spectacular," Dr. Cooper said.
The age range of the first-year students is 20 to 50, and the class is evenly split between male and female students, Dr. Cooper said. The event returned to in-person after it was held virtually last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"I can't tell you how great this is to actually see you all in person," said Randy Worth, UT's senior associate dean for student affairs and admissions.
Newly cloaked in white, incoming student Rubab Syed was all smiles as she stood next to her father, Cleveland Clinic physician Dr. Qarab Syed, who also wore his white jacket to the ceremony.
"He's a role model for me," Ms. Syed said for her father. "I'm lucky to have my family's support. I'm excited for the journey ahead."
Seeing his daughter achieve the first step toward her dreams Friday was emotional for Dr. Syed, who said Ms. Syed has all the tools to become a great doctor and is "very genuine in helping humanity."
"I went through this 30 years ago, so this is very sentimental for me," the doctor said of the event.
The event was also sentimental for another family. Seated next to each other in the front row of the ceremony were brother and sister Michael and Elizabeth Besly, who, separated by just a year, are taking on the path to become doctors together.
"It's really nice to enter alongside your sibling," Ms. Besly said. "I know this is going to be really challenging, so it's great to have someone by my side."
"We're excited and ready to begin the grind," Mr. Besly added.
The Sylvania Northview High School and UT graduates said they understand the challenges they will face ahead, but are ready to face them head on together.
"I think it's really grounding to see the potential of where you can be, but also everyone is starting with us, so it's going to be great," Ms. Besly said.
"Immeasurable relief, and excitement," Mr. Besly said plainly. "It's going to be awesome."