The University of Kentucky College of Medicine proudly welcomed its Class of 2029 with a series of White Coat Ceremonies across its Bowling Green, Northern Kentucky, and Lexington campuses, as well as students in the Morehead-based Rural Physician Leadership Program (RPLP). These events, held July 31 through Aug. 1, marked a pivotal moment in each student’s journey toward becoming a physician.
The White Coat Ceremony is a time-honored tradition in medical education, symbolizing a student’s formal entrance into the profession and the responsibilities that come with it. At UK, it also reflects the college’s mission to train physicians who are equipped to serve the unique health care needs of communities across the Commonwealth and beyond.
The Class of 2029 includes 211 students from across Kentucky and the nation, many of whom bring a deep passion for improving health care access and outcomes in the Commonwealth. Their varied backgrounds and shared commitment to service reflect the college’s broader goal: to advance the health of all Kentuckians by preparing the next generation of physician leaders.
After students were cloaked in their white coats in front of faculty, family, and friends, the ceremonies concluded with students reciting the Pledge of Professionalism — a solemn vow to uphold ethical standards, lifelong learning, mutual respect, and compassionate advocacy for all patients, regardless of their circumstances.
“These ceremonies are among the most meaningful moments of the academic year,” said Dean Charles “Chipper” Griffith III, MD, MSPH. “They remind us why we’re here: to train doctors who will care for others with skill and heart. We are proud to welcome this new class across all our campuses.”
The College of Medicine also acknowledged the generous support of alumnus J.K. Phillips, Jr., MD ’74, and Faye Phillips, whose contributions helped provide white coats to incoming students, and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, which first introduced the White Coat Ceremony in 1993 and supplied each incoming student with a Humanism in Medicine pin.
As the Class of 2029 embarks on this transformative journey, the White Coat Ceremony serves as both a celebration and a charge: to pursue medicine with excellence, to serve with compassion, and to uphold the trust placed in them by their future patients.
