For Alexandra Wong (DO '28), the one moment she envisioned when applying to medical school was receiving her white coat.
“And now we're all sitting here; this is real,” Wong said just minutes before receiving her white coat at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine's (PCOM) annual ceremony for first-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students.
For Wong and the 288 DO students who joined her in receiving their white coats on October 11, 2024, the achievement marked a significant moment in their journey as aspiring medical professionals and their shared commitment of supporting each other and putting their patients first.
“There is zero sense of competitiveness among all of us,” Wong said. “That was something that was really big for me. Everyone helps each other. We're all struggling together, so it doesn't feel like anyone is working against each other. It's a really great group of us.”
White coats are designed to serve as a reminder to physicians of their duty to practice medicine with humanism and professionalism, symbolizing their proficiency, integrity, responsibility and compassion when diagnosing and treating patients.
PCOM's white coat ceremony was led by Dean and Chief Academic Officer Peter Bidey, DO '08, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kenneth J. Veit, DO '76, and PCOM President and CEO Jay S. Feldstein, DO '81, who closed by saying: “When you put the patient first, everything else takes care of itself. Don’t ever forget that.”
Brianna Hector (DO '26) followed leadership's remarks with reflections on her own journey, specifically the unique experience of navigating life as a DO student while also receiving a cancer diagnosis and undergoing chemotherapy.
“Everyone on this stage has shown genuine care for not only my success, and my class's success, but of our overall well being,” Hector said. “I've experienced that firsthand.”
Students and hundreds of family members and friends gathered at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue to celebrate this important milestone. This year's ceremony was also livestreamed on YouTube.
For the past 125 years, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
Gabrielle DePietro
Associate Director, News and Media Relations
Email: gabrielde2@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6304
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