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The Class of 2029 stands together in Gaston Hall
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Georgetown Welcomes School of Medicine Class of 2029 at White Coat Ceremony

(August 11, 2025) — Filled with joy, anticipation and a deep sense of purpose, the 203 members of Georgetown University School of Medicine’s Class of 2029 officially entered the medical profession during the White Coat Ceremony — an annual rite of passage marking the beginning of their journey to becoming Georgetown-trained physicians.

Gaston Hall overflowed with family and friends who gathered on August 8 to celebrate the culmination of achievements and talents that brought each student to Georgetown. The White Coat Ceremony served as the final event following three days of orientation activities.

The School of Medicine’s Executive Dean, Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, MHS, defined the short white coat that each student received as a recognizable connection between science and compassion, and as a commitment to “uphold the ethics, humility and responsibility of a physician.”

Norman J. Beauchamp Jr. speaks from a podium

Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, MHS

The Hope of a White Coat

“[The coat] represents a safeguard — protecting those who are vulnerable, advocating for those who have no voice. It represents a bridge — connecting the knowledge you will gain here to the healing you will bring out there. And, perhaps most importantly, it represents hope — for your patients, your communities, and for the future of medicine,” Beauchamp said.

Anthony S. Fauci, MD, Distinguished University Professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine and McCourt School of Public Policy, delivered the Edmund Pellegrino Professionalism Lecture.

“Dr. Fauci’s name is known around the globe,” Beauchamp said when introducing the former director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “Here at Georgetown, he is more than a public figure. He is a teacher, a mentor, and a living example of what it means to be a physician in service to the common good. He embodies cura personalis. He embodies people for others. And he is the kind of physician we aspire to graduate.”

Dr. Fauci speaks from a podium

Anthony S. Fauci, MD

Fauci, who spends many mornings rounding at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital with medical students and residents, reflected on his journey as a physician and perpetual student.

“Starting on this day, the learning curve that you will experience will be steeper than in any other prior or subsequent period in your life,” he told the students. “At times, it may seem difficult and wearing on you. Well, if it was easy, anyone could do it, but you are not just anyone. You are a Georgetown medical student. Please embrace the totality of the experience, as it is critical to your evolution as a complete physician.”

Fauci acknowledged the many changes in medicine since he became a physician 59 years ago, but pointed out that some things about medicine should never change — the fundamental principles that he said have guided past generations of physicians and health care professionals.

“You will be guided by integrity, unselfishness, perseverance, inquisitiveness, professionalism, and … a compelling thirst for knowledge with the patient. I repeat, the patient, as the focus and beneficiary of all that you do professionally,” Fauci said.

Watch a video of highlights from this year’s White Coat Ceremony.

More Scenes From This Year’s White Coat Ceremony

Slide 1 of 10

Gaston Hall stage and audience
Gaston Hall overflowed with family and friends.
Dean Mary Furlong speaks from a podium
Mary Furlong, MD, vice dean for medical education and professor of pathology, opened the ceremony with a prayer. “Grant them compassion to humbly and without judgment, lay their hands on those who trust, who seek a listening ear, and who are most vulnerable.”
Dean Princy Kuma speaks from a podium
Princy Kumar, MD, vice dean for student affairs and professor of medicine, shared reflections on physicianship. “The core characteristics of being a good physician will never change. Being a good physician means taking responsibility for your patient, truly feeling that you are the one responsible for what happens to them.”
Anthony Fauci presents a white coat to a female student
Anthony S. Fauci, MD, was one of several faculty members who “coated” the new medical students. He presented student Yasmin Aflaki with her white coat.
A student is helped into his white coat by two faculty members
Medical school alumni sponsored the white coats and shared messages of encouragement that were dropped into a pocket of each one.
Dr. Beauchamp hands a stethoscope to a student
Executive Dean Norman Beauchamp presented each student with a stethoscope.
A student speaks from the podium
After receiving their white coats, students were invited to introduce themselves and acknowledge two people who had made a significant impact on their medical school journey.
Dean Emeritus Steven Mitchell speaks from a podium and raises his hand
Stephen Ray Mitchell, Dean Emeritus, led the class of 2029 in reciting the Hippocratic Oath.
students raise their hands as they read the Hippocratic Oath during the White Coat Ceremony
Students raised their right hands and spoke the Hippocratic Oath
A student speaks from a podium while others wait their turn in the background
In celebration of this diverse class, members of the Class of 2029 recited the oath line by line in different languages.
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student experience
White Coat Ceremony