White coat ceremony officially welcomes new class of medical students

In a packed ballroom brimming with pride and excitement, 123 new medical students took to the stage at FIU to don their first white coats, officially entering the medical profession. This milestone event marks the 16th white coat ceremony for the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.

The ceremony is an annual medical school tradition designed to instill a commitment to compassionate patient care early in students’ training. 

Dr. Juan Cendan, dean of Wertheim Medicine, welcomed the Class of 2028 to the “noble and challenging medical profession and the responsibilities that come with it: compassion, integrity, professionalism and dedication.” 

About the MD Class of 2028

Selected from more than 6,000 applicants, the class is a microcosm of South Florida’s vibrant and diverse community. Incoming students represent 16 countries. Sixty-six percent are bilingual, and a quarter of the students are “first gens,” the first in their families to earn a college degree.

Notably, women comprise 62% of the class, reflecting the growing presence of women in medicine. “We’re changing the narrative,” said incoming student Sarah Benoit.

This cohort sets a record for the highest number of FIU undergraduates (34%) accepted into Wertheim Medicine, showcasing the culture of excellence cultivated within the FIU community.

Ingrid Lopez earned her undergraduate degree in biological sciences from FIU in 2022.

“Initially, I considered other schools," she said. "But I realized FIU had everything I was looking for. I love how diverse it is, and I always felt so supported as an undergrad."

Looking ahead

The Class of 2028 exemplifies Wertheim Medicine’s commitment to attracting local students likely to stay to practice in the community—nearly nine out of ten of the new students are Florida residents. Administrators said that physician retention cannot be understated based on the latest projections by the Association of American Medical Colleges, which estimate a national physician shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036.  

The college’s transformative alliance with Baptist Health, South Florida’s largest not-for-profit health care system, aims to contribute to physician retention by creating graduate medical education opportunities for future doctors who want to train in South Florida. The new partnership plans to develop 22 new residency programs, with programs beginning in 2025, including internal medicine, neurology and diagnostic radiology.

View photos from the ceremony.