Information On Saturday's White Coat Ceremony

In light of Tuesday's tragic events, many of you and your parents have asked about whether the White Coat Ceremony will be held as scheduled this Saturday.

While we recognize that these events have affected all of us and that some of you may have been personally affected, we feel that it is important to go ahead with the ceremony as planned.

The White Coat Ceremony is not a celebration per se, rather it is a symbolic ceremony marking your induction as first year students into a profession dedicated to serving humanity.

We recognize that some of your parents may not be able to attend due to difficulty with travel or personal situations. We are in the process of arranging for the ceremony to be professionally videotaped. In addition, we will be taking photographs of each of you being cloaked.

While this cannot replace the attendance of family members, we hope that it will give you a chance to share the experience with them at a later time.

John T. Harrington, M.D.
Dean, Tufts' School of Medicine