{"id":234166,"date":"2025-08-22T14:20:04","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T18:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=234166"},"modified":"2025-08-22T14:20:04","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T18:20:04","slug":"uconn-medical-students-shining-with-pride-in-new-white-coats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2025\/08\/uconn-medical-students-shining-with-pride-in-new-white-coats\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn Medical Students Shining with Pride in New White Coats"},"content":{"rendered":"

UConn School of Medicine\u2019s Class of 2029 is here. These aspiring future doctors are now ready to embark on their careers in medicine wearing their brand-new white coats.<\/p>\n

On August 22 UConn\u2019s medical school hosted the inspiring traditional White Coat Ceremony. Each year this annual milestone welcomes the incoming class of medical students and marks the exciting start of their four-year medical school journey.<\/p>\n

\"Class
Class of 2029 medical students in the Academic Rotunda at the 2025 White Coat Ceremony of UConn School of Medicine (Thomas Hurlbut Photography).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWelcome to UConn! All 114 of you are our largest medical school class ever!\u201d proudly exclaimed Dr. Bruce T. Liang, dean of UConn School of Medicine. \u201cOur White Coat Ceremony is your first major milestone in medical school. Today, we are here to celebrate all you have accomplished. You really deserve to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Class of 2029 medical students were competitively selected from over 5,400 applicants, which is a pool of over 1,000 more applicants above last year. 68 percent of students in the Class of 2029 are from Connecticut and 35 percent attended UConn as undergraduates. UConn School of Medicine is proudly the number one producer of doctors and surgeons for the state. Statewide, over 30 percent of School of Medicine graduates and its trained resident physicians practice medicine in Connecticut.<\/p>\n

Liang shared, \u201cYou will be part of our health care heroes. The future starts right now today with your new white coat!\u201d<\/p>\n

At the inspiring ceremony, each incoming first-year medical student received and put on for the first time their symbolic physician white coat.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom this point on, you are not just a student, you are a future physician,\u201d shared Dr. Marilyn Katz, assistant dean of Student Affairs for the School of Medicine in her address to the Class of 2029 surrounded by their families and faculty. \u201cBest of luck to you as you launch your medical school journey. You are officially part of the UConn Husky Family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"First-year
First-year UConn med student Kush Kataria of Ellington, Connecticut (Thomas Hurlbut Photography).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the many new medical students thrilled to be donning his white coat is former medical assistant Kush Kataria<\/strong>, 23, of Ellington, Conn. who attended Johns Hopkins as an undergraduate for his degree in chemistry. He chose UConn because of its emphasis on patient-centered care, cutting-edge research, and community advocacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWearing the white coat signifies a lifelong commitment to service,\u201d says Kataria. \u201cPatients will entrust me with their care and well-being at their most vulnerable moments, and with this great privilege comes great responsibility. Personally, it is incredibly rewarding to put on that white coat after years and years of hard work. It really took a whole village to get here, and I could not have done it without the support of my family, friends, and mentors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am super thrilled to start and can’t wait to learn medicine!\u201d Kataria adds, \u201cThese first few days have been filled with many emotions. It feels incredibly motivating to walk into the hospital each morning and begin learning medicine and what it means to be a doctor. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The
The future Dr. Kush Kataria celebrating his new white coat with his parents (Lauren Woods\/UConn Photo).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Class
Class of 2029 includes Lukas Klin, 22, of Newington, Conn. (Thomas Hurlbut Photography).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lukas Klin<\/strong>, 22, of Newington, could not wait to put on his white coat. He graduated from UConn Storrs and has worked as an Emergency Department scribe at nearby St Francis Medical Center. He is looking forward to medical school at UConn, working with patients, and having a direct impact on their health and happiness.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe white coat represents all the hard work that I have done to get to this point in my educational career,\u201d shares Klin. \u201cI decided to pursue a career in medicine because it allows me to help patients live healthy and happy lives while also satisfying my intellectual curiosity that I have for the human body.\u201d<\/p>\n

Klin\u2019s attendance at UConn School of Medicine accomplishes his childhood dream.<\/p>\n

\"Lukas
Lukas Klin celebrating his childhood dream coming true of entering UConn medical school with Jonathan! (Lauren Woods\/UConn Photo).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cGrowing up in Newington, CT, UConn Health is visible from the top of nearby Cedar Mountain, which I had to drive down every day on my way to school. As a high school student, I would envision myself making that drive down the mountain as a medical student attending UConn, pursuing my life’s dream. I am still in shock every morning when I see the health center and realize that what I imagined for so many years has finally become my new reality!\u201d Klin heartwarmingly shares.<\/p>\n

\"Future
Future doctor Karen Martinez of the UConn medical school Class of 2029 (Thomas Hurlbut Photography).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Class of 2029\u2019s Karen Martinez<\/strong>, 27, also from Newington is \u201cbeyond thrilled\u201d to start medical school at UConn.<\/p>\n

She earned her UConn undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering. While a UConn student she served as coordinator for the special student-powered UConn Health Leaders program that helps screen UConn Health patients and address their social determinants of health.<\/p>\n

\u201cChoosing UConn has allowed me to continue working with the UConn Health Leaders program and gain additional training through the Urban Service Track, giving me the opportunity to grow into a more well-rounded provider. UConn also has such a supportive community. Medical school offers me the opportunity to become an advocate and educator for many communities while also treating the entire patient and not just physical symptoms.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The white coat represents a great deal to Martinez.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting my white coat is extremely meaningful to me,\u201d says Martinez. \u201cAs the first in my family to attend medical school, I see the white coat as a symbol of the culmination of all of my hard work, the challenges I have overcome, and the sacrifices that both my family and I have made to get to this point. It also symbolizes the privilege and responsibility I have to serve my community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Incoming
Incoming UConn medical student Bria Slater of Atlanta, Georgia (Thomas Hurlbut Photography).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Incoming UConn medical student Bria Slater<\/strong>, 22, originally from Atlanta, Georgia, is \u201cecstatic\u201d to start medical school and to put on her white coat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the moment I\u2019ve been waiting for and it is the first step toward my career as a physician. I know I will look back on this as the moment where it truly began.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slater earned her bachelor of science degree in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Miami.\u00a0This summer in advance of starting at UConn School of Medicine she had the exciting and inaugural opportunity to participate as an incoming medical student in the longstanding Summer Research Fellowship Program<\/a> of the Health Career Opportunity Programs led by Dr. Marja Hurley.<\/p>\n

\u201cPutting on my white coat signifies the culmination of years of effort and the fulfillment of a goal I\u2019ve had since childhood,\u201d Slater exclaims. \u00a0\u201cIt represents both the responsibility I now hold and the beginning of a career path that I have long sought after.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Slater starting medical school at UConn feels surreal.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter years of preparation, stepping into medical school feels like I am stepping into the future I\u2019ve been working toward. I am ready to embrace the challenges ahead and make the most of this opportunity,\u201d Slater says.<\/p>\n

\"Ecstatic
Bria Slater is excited for her brand new white coat and to start UConn medical school (Lauren Woods\/UConn Photo).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Slater chose UConn\u2019s medical school because it allows her to combine her love of science with compassion and serving communities in need.<\/p>\n

\u201cI chose UConn because its values reflect my own, and it offers the training and environment that will help me grow into the physician I aspire to become,\u201d says Slater. \u201cMy biggest hope is to grow into a physician who not only provides excellent care, but also makes patients feel seen and heard. At UConn, I am looking forward to learning from both faculty and patients in ways that will shape me into a compassionate, skilled, and well-rounded physician.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"UConn
UConn medical school’s Class of 2029’s Jack Foley is following in his father’s footsteps. Jack with his beaming with pride Dad Dr. Raymond Foley, professor of Medicine and director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at UConn Health. Congrats to the Foley family (Lauren Woods\/UConn Photo).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

UConn alum and pain management expert Dr. David Lam of the Class of 2018 who serves as president of the Medical Alumni Board shared his words of encouragement with the new medical students at their White Coat Ceremony. He spoke about how the white coat symbolizes such great promise and purpose.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo the students, congratulations. Welcome! We believe in you. We can\u2019t wait to see what kind of physician you will become. There is a whole UConn community rooting for your success!\u201d concluded Lam.<\/p>\n

Welcome Class of 2029!<\/p>\n

\"UConn
UConn School of Medicine’s Class of 2029 (Thomas Hurlbut Photography).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Watch the recording of the UConn medical school White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2029<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Largest class of 114 new medical students arrives to UConn School of Medicine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":234183,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2388,1868,179,2233],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1873],"class_list":["post-234166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthcare-workforce","category-meds","category-uconn-health","category-university-news"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-09 00:37:11","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234166","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/98"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=234166"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234166\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":234205,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234166\/revisions\/234205"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/234183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=234166"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=234166"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=234166"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=234166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}