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Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine Welcomed the Class of 2009 to the Veterinary Medical Profession at the
Seventh Annual Convocation also known as the White Coat Ceremony on Friday,
August 19, 2005.
History of the White Coat Ceremony
The White Coat Ceremony, established by Dr. Arnold Gold at Columbia
University Medical School in 1993, was designed to impress upon students,
physicians and the public the important symbolic role of the white coat in
patient-doctor interactions. Gold argued that students were reciting the
Hippocratic Oath four years too late-upon their graduation from medical
school. He felt the oath and the conferring of white coats would be better
done at the start of medical school, when students receive their first
exposure to clinical medicine. The White Coat Ceremony provides a mechanism by
which values that are key to our profession can be openly articulated and
carefully considered in the company of peers, parents, partners and faculty.
The College of Veterinary medicine has sincerely embraced
the spirit of this exercise. You will find that our ceremony has been
appropriately modified for veterinary medical students. It includes an
induction into the Veterinary Medical College, whereupon each student will
receive a coat, generously donated by the Idaho and Washington State Veterinary
Medical Associations. As a group, the students recite the “Veterinary
Student Oath”.
The Veterinary Student Oath
At the time of being admitted to the Veterinary Medical College at Washington State University, I solemnly pledge:
- To consecrate my life to the service of both animals and humanity;
- To give my teachers, staff and classmates the respect that is their due;
- To conduct myself at all times with conscience and dignity;
- To always provide comfort and compassion to teaching and client animals left in my care;
- To maintain the honor and noble traditions of the veterinary medical profession;
- To avoid considerations of religion, nationality, race, politics or social standing to influence my relationships with teachers, staff, classmates, or clients;
- To never use my veterinary knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity;
- I make these promises sincerely, freely and upon my honor.
Dignitaries
- Dr. Warwick
Bayly, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Dr. Gilbert Burns,
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
- Dr.
Richard DeBowes, Chair, Veterinary
Clinical Sciences (VCS)
- Dr.
David Prieur, Chair, Veterinary
Microbiology and Pathology (VMP)
- Dr.
Bryan Slinker, Chair, Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience (IPN)
- Dr.
Sandy Wright, President, WSVMA,
Washington Veterinary Medical Association
- Dr.
Rene´Carlson, Keynote Speaker
- Dr.
Chris Davies, Chair CVM Curriculum Committee
- Dr. Dale Hancock, Chair CVM Admissions Committee
- Dr.
Leslie Sprunger, CVM Student Progress Committee
Keynote Address:
Dr. René Carlson
Dr. René Carlson graduated from the University of Minnesota – College
of Veterinary Medicine in 1978. Following an internship in Springfield,
Massachusetts she embarked on a career in companion animal private
practice. Over the past 26 years she has worked in small and large
animal practices, in rural and urban practices, and as an employed
doctor and, since 1996, as the owner of the Animal Hospital of Chetek in
Chetek, Wisconsin. In 2000, the Animal Hospital of Chetek was listed as
one of the Veterinary Economics 12 Practices of Excellence in the
country. In 2001, Dr. Carlson was selected as Wisconsin’s Veterinarian
of the Year.
Dr. Carlson currently is quite involved in organized veterinary medicine
as well. She is a past president of both her local and state Veterinary
Medical Associations, served as the delegate from Wisconsin to the
American Veterinary Medical Association’s House of Delegates for 8
years, and as a member of the American Veterinary Medical Foundation
Board of Directors for 3 years. The AVMF is our national charity for
Animal Disaster Response and Preparedness. In July 2004, she was elected
Vice President of the American Veterinary Medical Association
representing 71,000 veterinarians in the United States and over 10,000
veterinary students.
CVM Curriculum Committee - The Curriculum Committee is charged
with designing, implementing, revising, and maintaining the sequence of
pre-clinical and clinical educational experiences that comprises the
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. Student representatives
from each of the OSU and WSU classes, as well as faculty representatives
from the three college departments, serve on this committee.
CVM Admissions Committee - The Admissions Committee is
responsible for thoroughly evaluating the hundreds of applications sent
to WSU from around the world each year. Specific academic and
non-academic criteria are used to select applicants who the committee
believes will be able to successfully complete our rigorous,
science-based veterinary curriculum and possess the qualities of a good
veterinarian.
CVM Student Progress Committee - The Student Progress Committee
makes recommendations to the Dean in all areas related to students’
progress through the veterinary curriculum including promotion,
remediation, probation, dismissal, and graduation.
Music provided by Devon Loughney
A reception followed the ceremony.
Sponsored by:
Hills Pet Products
WSVMA
IVMA
Other White Coat Ceremonies
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