White Coat Ceremony January 2011

We officially started with 116 in our class, but now I see that we are down to 112 people for the January 2011 semester. I guess four people never made it to the island. The ceremony was about two hours long, and I know some of my family had trouble hearing anything at all from the webcast, but my boyfriend made it home from school just in time to see me get my white coat. Apparently his sound at the end of the event was fine.

The first portion of the white coat ceremony was pretty much a ceremony for the fifth semester students who ended up Honoring their classes by getting an average of 85-87% during their first four semesters here. While each student was called up to receive their award, the speaker also read little nuggets of advice that each of these successful students had for our class. Some of this "advice" included: "take the blue pill," "play hard, study harder" "What do they call you when you graduate last in your med school class? Doctor."  It was at the end of this portion of the event that my mom ended up leaving the webcast because she thought it was all the first semester students on stage! She called me an hour to two later saying she didn't see me and asked why no one had their white coats. I felt like smacking myself in the forehead. Come on, MOM! You left in the MIDDLE of the ceremony! Her defense is there was no sound, so she had no clue what was going on... I guess that's a passable excuse.

It's been a long time coming, but I'm here and ready to rock this place.

After that, there was a good and heartwarming speech by one of the honor students named Damien. He spoke of his time spent at AUC, how fast it's gone by, how we will fail at some point here (i.e. when you hold a human heart in your hand, words will fail you), and the close relationship he's built with many of the people at this school. He ended his speech by noting how he would be comfortable allowing anyone graduating from AUC to take care of him or his family in times of sickness because he knows how hard each and every person works to do well here and become knowledgeable doctors. He noted how much work it takes to even get here, and congratulating us for making it to the island.

Before coming here I know some people who have had completely different careers, or spent many years across the world doing something else, before realizing practicing medicine is what they want for their lives. I have a lot of respect for people who make it to this point. It can't be easy leaving your home, family (some people bring their spouse and kids here!), all that's familiar to come to an island and learn about medicine. I think that's a big reason why I write this blog. I want to let people know how it really is so they won't feel afraid or unsure about coming here. I was frightened before coming here, but reading accounts of student life on these blogs demystified some of my preconceived notions about Caribbean schools and allowed me to feel comfortable and confident about moving down here. I'm so glad I did because this is really what I want to do and I feel I'm with 112 other people who feel the same exact way.

 Damien's speech was a tough act to follow, and to be honest I had a hard time focusing on the keynote speech afterwards, so I won't be able to give you any real details about it. Once that last speech was done, the first semester students stood and read aloud the AUC pledge and then the actual ceremony of giving us our white coats began. Due to my last name, I was the second-to-last person to get my coat. Wooooo Y!

P.S. GO PATRIOTS! TAKE US TO THE SUPER BOWL!!!