FORT SMITH, AR. – A tradition that began with the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine’s inaugural class will reach a milestone this weekend as Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) celebrates its annual White Coat Ceremony.
Student Doctors from the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM) and ACHE School of Physical Therapy received their white coats Saturday, September 26 at the ArcBest Performing Arts Center in downtown Fort Smith.
This year’s ceremony marks the 10th White Coat Ceremony for ARCOM students. Since the tradition began in 2017, approximately 1,600 ARCOM Student Doctors have participated in the milestone, marking the beginning of a journey that prepares them to care for patients and communities across Arkansas and beyond.
The tradition expanded in 2021 to include ACHE’s inaugural Doctor of Physical Therapy students. Seven DPT classes have participated in the ceremony, with approximately 290 students receiving their white coats since the tradition began.
The White Coat Ceremony is more than a celebration of entering a healthcare profession. The coat represents the responsibility students assume as future providers and serves as a reminder of the compassion, integrity, professionalism and commitment to service expected throughout their education and careers.
This year’s ceremony will recognize 176 Student Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine from the Class of 2030 and 44 Student Doctors of Physical Therapy from the Class of 2029.
For ARCOM, this year’s ceremony also provides an opportunity to reflect on how far the college has come since its first students donned their white coats in 2017. Over the past decade, those students have gone on to complete medical school, enter residency programs and begin serving patients in communities across Arkansas and the nation.
“For 10 years, the White Coat Ceremony has marked an important beginning for ARCOM Student Doctors,” said Christopher J. Loyke, DO, FACOFP, Dean of ARCOM. “When our students put on that coat, they join a tradition shared by those who have come before them. It represents not only how far they have come, but the responsibility they are accepting to serve their patients and communities with compassion, integrity and humility.”
For ACHE’s Physical Therapy program, the ceremony continues a tradition that has become an important part of welcoming students into the profession and recognizing the responsibilities that come with patient care.
“Receiving a white coat is an exciting milestone for our physical therapy students, but it also represents the responsibility that comes with caring for others,” said Dana Kahl, PT, DPT, Dean of the ACHE School of Physical Therapy. “As they continue their education and move into patient care, I hope they wear it as a reminder to lead with compassion, listen to their patients and always recognize the trust placed in them as future physical therapists.”
As each student slips into a white coat Saturday, they will join generations of ACHE students who have participated in the tradition before them while beginning a journey uniquely their own.
