What brings you joy?
The was the question fourth-year medical student Jonah Scheffler asked the Class of 2026, a diverse group of 134 students from across Nebraska and the country.
“Everyone has a different answer and reason for choosing this career,” Scheffler said. “But, when the going gets tough – which it will, I promise – remember what brings you joy.”
On Aug. 19, joy was in abundance at the College of Medicine’s White Coat Ceremony as students gathered at the Orpheum Theater to take their first steps toward becoming physicians. The annual rite of passage bridged fall orientation activities and the start of classes.
See a photo album from the event.
Dean Bradley Britigan, MD, welcomed the Class of 2026 to a challenging journey that will yield great rewards. There will be sacrifices, he said, and, at times, overwhelming amounts of information to master, as well as times when nothing medically can be done for patients.
“Surprisingly, it may be those times that you will be of the most benefit to your patient and, in turn, have the most rewarding experience as a physician,” he said. Offering emotional support and compassion are as important as meeting classical medical needs, he said. “Don’t shy away from it.”
During the hourlong ceremony, soft, instrumental music filled the theater – punctuated only by the hoots, claps and cheers of loved ones as students were called one-by-one to the front of the stage to receive their white coat.
Yone Edegbele of Elkhorn, Nebraska, beamed as her younger brother, Tuoma Edegbele, received his white coat.
“It was beautiful; I wanted to scream,” she said after the ceremony.
The son of Nigerian immigrants, Edegbele said he was inspired by family to pursue health care and was taking in the moment. “It’s nice when the day is about you,” he said.
Nagla Ibrahim called it “the best day,” as her daughter Insaf Omar, launched her dream of becoming a surgeon. “It’s a good feeling to put on the coat,” Omar said. “It’s exciting and nerve-wracking,” but she looks forward to the “hard and rewarding work.”
It was a proud moment, too, for Kim and Mike Dietrich of Laurel, Nebraska, as they watched their son, Zachary, receive his white coat. Said mom: “His dad has been telling everyone he sees that he’s going to med school.”
Their son, a Wayne State College graduate with a degree in chemistry, looks forward to working with his peers and hopes to one day practice in a rural community.
Medicine long has been the plan for Josh Qu of Lincoln, who said he took pre-med courses at the University of Michigan because it combines his interests in science and caring for underserved populations. Looking ahead, he said he will channel any nervous energy into excitement because “it’s what we’ve been waiting for.”
Nolan Marshall of Bellevue, Nebraska, agreed: “This day signifies a long road and is the first step of my journey.”
On behalf of the College of Medicine Alumni Council, 1998 UNMC graduate David Goldner, MD, congratulated the class, saying: “As physicians and health care professionals, we’re not special people but we do special work.”
The White Coat Ceremony, he said, marks the beginning of a transformational journey that “will equip you to do important work for your patients and for your community, but also provide personal rewards that you might not expect and that you need to experience to fully understand.”
Dr. Goldner then closed his remarks with one practical pearl of wisdom: Wash your white coat.