The White Coat Ceremony: A Transition to Independence

With the Fourth of July approaching, I cannot help but to reflect upon the idea of Independence. As human beings, we enjoy measuring the passage of time with markers of achievement - another year lived, a certain age reached, a commitment made, a goal reached. For many of us, our first symbol of independence is a car. I still clearly remember the big red bow wrapped around a shiny blue Pontiac Fiero on my 16th birthday. It was an impossibly impractical, but oh-so-beautiful car that will forever be remembered as my first taste of independence. For many medical students, their first symbol of independence as a practitioner is their first full length lab coat. Over 100 medical schools in the USA now celebrate the occasion with a White Coat Ceremony.  A relatively new tradition in some medical, optometry, dental, chiropractic, physical therapy, podiatric, pharmacy, physician assistant, and veterinary schools, the White Coat Ceremony marks the transition from student to member of the healthcare profession - it is the ceremonial "cloaking" of a doctor-to-be as she or he embarks upon their medical career. The white coat is a universal symbol of the medical profession, and after countless years of study and sacrifice, students beginning their careers deserve to stand proud in their first lab coat. Medelita garments are the perfect choice for a lab coat that will forever be remembered as their first.  Unlike my impractical classic sports car, however, our lab coats are as functional as they are flattering.  Medelita professional lab coats are breathable 100% cotton treated with DuPont™ Advanced Dual Action Teflon® fabric protector to resist fluid, soil, and stains - including blood - keeping the coat clean and white. We also have a school discount program. Personalized for each participating educational institution, the Medelita School Discount Program offers students in medical fields an opportunity to save up to 40% on lab coats purchased in bulk for White Coat Ceremonies.  Medical students beginning their studies often see their education and role as future physicians as aspiring to be worthy of the long white lab coat . . . At Medelita, we believe that the long white lab coat should be worthy of them.