More than 400 HSC students to participate in Aug. 20 White Coat Ceremony

By Diane Smith-Pinckney

Students wearing white coat with backs turned

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC) will present white coats to more than 400 students during a rite of passage ceremony for future health care providers at Will Rogers Memorial Center Auditorium on Aug. 20 at 9 a.m.  

Students from the Physician Assistant Studies program, Department of Physical Therapy, System College of Pharmacy, and Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) will receive coats during the 2021 White Coat Ceremony. 

“Our White Coat Ceremony is a time-honored tradition at HSC signifying the beginning of our new students’ journeys to their health care professions,” said Dr. Charles Taylor, Provost and Executive Vice President at HSC. “It is representative of the extraordinarily high levels of professionalism and empathy that will be required of them throughout their career. For families and friends, it is an opportunity to be proud and serves as a reminder that their loved one is engaging in an incredibly challenging rite of passage to have the privilege of serving others.”  

Provost Taylor will welcome students at this year’s in-person event, which will include student speakers and presentation of white coats. 

President Michael R. Williams will present the 2021 Mary E. Luibel Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Albert H. Olivencia-Yurvati. This award, established in 1993, honors an individual who has shown exceptional personal commitment and long-standing dedication to the advancement of the osteopathic profession. 

Dr. Yurvati, a 1986 graduate of TCOM and retired cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, is credited with creating a legacy within TCOM and the field of osteopathic medicine that will influence future generations of osteopathic doctors.  

A citation accompanying the award states that Dr. Yurvati is being honored for a number of reasons, including “for his selfless service which exemplifies the principle that service to others is life’s highest calling.” 

The White Coat Ceremony encourages students to fulfill a psychological contract for professionalism and empathy as future health care providers. After students receive their white coats, each program takes a professional oath.

Recent News

Ashenafi 768x768
  • Our People
|Sep 20, 2023

Dr. Ashenafi Cherkos awarded prestigious AIM-AHEAD Fellowship in Leadership

Dr. Ashenafi Cherkos, assistant professor at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, has been awarded the prestigious AIM-AHEAD Fellowship in Leadership for the Fall 2023 cohort. Cherkos serves in the School of Public Health’s Department of Population and Community Healt...
Djperera
  • On Campus
|Sep 20, 2023

Innovate Fort Worth podcast: DJ Perera of New Age Media New Age Learning program

Innovate Fort Worth, the local podcast showcasing local innovation and its dynamic creators, recently featured DJ Perera, a trailblazing artist and educator. Hosted by Cameron Cushman of The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, the podcast episode delves into the intersecti...
Darlene Watkins
  • On Campus
|Sep 20, 2023

HSC student advocates for falls prevention awareness in Tarrant County

Darlene Watkins has dedicated her life to creating healthier and sustainable communities. Her background in interdisciplinary design led her to work with various community organizations from Atlanta to California, but it was her passion for educating aging populations that fueled her desire to wo...
Glenn Forister
  • On Campus
|Sep 19, 2023

HSC’s School of Health Professions to host Health Professions Workforce Symposium

Modern medicine is a team sport, and roughly 60% of that team is composed of practitioners who exist outside of the doctor-nurse paradigm. These vital pillars make up the backbone of the $3 trillion health care sector, and they’re among the fastest-growing professions in the world. From 5 to 8 p....