August 5, 2010

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine will hold its White Coat Ceremony for first-year medical students. Each of the 176 members of the Class of 2014 will be presented with the traditional white coat in the presence of family, friends, faculty and staff. The white coat is a powerful symbol of both professional competence and human compassion.

The ceremony will take place Sunday, August 15 at 2 p.m. at UAB's Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South.

The featured address will be delivered by Jason Hartig, M.D., associate professor of medicine and winner of the 2010 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, as chosen by the Class of 2010.

The ceremonial presentation of white coats to medical students is a common practice at medical schools throughout the nation. The ceremony and oath of commitment to patient care remind incoming students of the dedication necessary to complete a medical education and underscore the responsibilities inherent in the practice of medicine.