College of Medicine welcomes M.D. Class of 2029 at White Coat Ceremony

With proud families cheering and cameras flashing, FIU’s newest medical students took a defining step to becoming physicians. The White Coat Ceremony is a rite of passage officially welcoming students into the medical profession and introducing them to their first white coat—a powerful symbol of their commitment to healing and humanity.

The White Coat Ceremony is a cherished tradition in medical schools—not only a formal welcome into the medical community but a powerful reminder of the responsibilities and ethics of the profession.

“You’re not just putting on a white coat—you’re stepping into a new version of yourself,” said Dr. Juan C. Cendan, dean of the College of Medicine.

He reminded students that the coat is more than just fabric. “It is a symbol to everyone who steps into the room with you. It signals that you’re there to help, heal and bring responsibility and grace to that moment.”

For medical student Jorge Jacob, a Miami native and proud FIU alum, the ceremony made his decision to pursue medicine feel real. “It’s hitting harder today after actually putting on the white coat,” said Jacob, excited to continue his studies close to home.

Several university leaders were in attendance to welcome the newest cohort of future Panther doctors, including FIU President Jeanette M. Nuñez; FIU Provost, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Elizabeth Béjar; Dr. Herbert Wertheim, the college’s namesake; Dr. John Rock, founding dean; and Dr. Robert Sackstein, immediate past dean.

About the M.D. Class of 2029

Of the 121 students in the entering class, 91% are from Florida—66% from South Florida—and over a quarter are FIU alumni. This strong local connection matters: many physicians remain in the communities where they train, giving this class real potential to help address Florida’s physician shortage.

“This incoming class is an embodiment of what FIU stands for and strives to be,” said Nuñez.

Among the students is Alexis Ernst, a Broward native and first-generation college graduate. “It’s great to be close to home and to learn in clinical systems I was already involved with during my shadowing and volunteering,” she said.

The college also welcomed students pursuing dreams far from home. Ayush Patel came to the U.S. alone from India in 2019, driven to study medicine after losing his grandmother to cancer.

“It is an honor and a privilege to join FIU,” said Patel. “It feels like I now have my own family in the U.S.”

Embracing the Future of Medicine

Keynote speaker Dr. Geoffrey Young, chair of the FIU Medicine Department of Surgical Sciences and chief of head and neck surgery at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care.

“No matter how advanced AI becomes, it will never replace the physician,” Young said. “Human connection is fundamental to the practice of medicine.”

He reminded the new cohort that while AI can help physicians stay current on what they can do, it can never replace the human judgment needed to decide what they should do. “The hardest questions in medicine require reflection, connection and trust. Those cannot be artificially generated,” he said.

Drawing on stories of students and trainees whose ideas reshaped care and saved lives, Young challenged the class to hold fast to their reasons for pursuing medicine and let those guide their toughest decisions.

As part of the ceremony, students recited the medical student and physician oath, a modern version of the old Hippocratic Oath—a traditional pledge of medical ethics. In four years, they will be reminded of those essential tenets of their profession at their graduation ceremony, when they retake the oath, swearing to prioritize patient well-being, maintain confidentiality and practice with conscience and dignity.

See photos from the ceremony.