The Wayne State University School of Medicine welcomed 256 new students Aug. 4 at its annual Family Day celebration. The event, which is the culmination of a week of orientation activities, offers students the opportunity to celebrate the official beginning of their medical education with their friends and families.
Members of the Class of 2005 for the first time donned the white lab coats so closely associated with the medical profession. Students also were administered the Oath of Commitment, which is similar to the Hippocratic oath that will guide them throughout their medical careers.
A special guest at the ceremony, Hubert Carbone, MD, director of psychiatric services for the Michigan Department of Community Health, was invited to address the class. He stressed the importance of the white knowledge and compassion.
School of Medicine Dean John Crissman, MD, presided over the ceremony. He is confident the students will look back on the day’s events long after they leave the WSU campus.
“These students are doing much more than just starting a new academic program,” Dr. Crissman said. “They are embarking on a journey and accepting a responsibility that lasts a lifetime. As such, it’s important that they feel like they are a part of a very honorable community.”
With more than 1,000 medical students, WSU is among the nation’s largest medical schools. Together with the Detroit Medical Center, the school is a leader in patient care and medical research in a number of areas including cancer, women’s and children’s health and the neurosciences.