New Medical Students Receive White Coats in Traditional Ceremony

The 145 medical students entering Albany Medical College donned their white coats for the first time today during the College’s White Coat Ceremony, held at the Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre in The Egg at the Empire State Plaza. Continuing a new tradition started last year, the students also recited the Declaration of Geneva, a modern-day physician’s oath.

Selected from more than 13,000 applicants – a 21 percent increase from two years ago – the Class of 2026 comes from 18 states, including 51 students from New York.

Twenty-nine of the new students graduated from one of Albany Medical College’s joint degree programs at Siena College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Union College. Twenty are entering with master’s degrees, while the majority have undergraduate degrees in biologic sciences.

“The white coat ceremony is a time-honored tradition that reminds our students and faculty of the honor and privilege that comes with entering the medical profession, and the importance of seeing our patients as individuals whose needs are our highest priority,” said Alan S. Boulos, MD, ’94, dean of Albany Medical College. “As faculty, we look forward to working with this diverse and talented group of students and to helping each of them grow into compassionate, dedicated, and selfless physicians.”

The ceremony wraps up a week of orientation activities that also included the annual Day of Service and Community Engagement, when students volunteered in various community gardens, food kitchens and at other agencies throughout the region.