White Coat Ceremony

A celebration of sophomore nursing students entering their clinicals

The White Coat Ceremony is held during nursing students’ sophomore year and is considered a formal welcome to the clinical portion of their nursing education. The ceremony was established by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation in 1993 to welcome students into the medical profession and set expectations for their roles as future physicians. In 2014, the Gold Foundation broadened its mission to engage members of the entire health care team.

In nursing, the ceremony symbolizes a commitment to compassionate, humanistic, patient-centered care rooted in scientific proficiency. Each year, students are celebrated at the White Coat Ceremony by their professors, parents, peers, and special guest speakers.