White Coat Celebration

Six Columbia University medical students are putting on their white medical coats in front of six faculty members in white coats at Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons' White Coat Ceremony.

August 15, 2025

Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons welcomed and cloaked 140 medical students at its annual rite-of-passage White Coat Ceremony, marking the 32nd anniversary of the Arnold P. Gold White Coat Ceremony (named in honor of the late Columbia professor of neurology and pediatrics) to reinforce the humanistic goals of medical practice as students begin their training to become physicians and educators. Welcome to the world of medicine, Class of 2029! 

For more, check out VP&S' story, College of Dental Medicine's White Coat Ceremony story, and School of Nursing's Pinning Ceremony story. 

Photo of the Week is a feature of Columbia News that captures moments from around the University and New York City.

See all the photos from the series here.