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I have a love-hate relationship with my white coat. On the one hand, it empowers me to learn, serve, and advocate. On the other, it sets me apart from the individuals I wish to sit and speak with eye to eye, hand in hand. Nonetheless, through this conflict I have found compromise on one notion: that it is an extraordinary privilege to be invited into the lives of others, and an immense task to be worthy of their trust.
-Monika Gasiorek, MD Candidate, Class of 2019
My study of medicine has fueled a fascination with the question of what it is to be human. As I have come to see it, putting on my white coat articulates a desire to understand human form and function while satisfying a natural inclination to grasp the common human experience. It is this unique human connectedness that most draws me to medicine, a vehicle for improving the quality of life of others without difference or judgement.
-Christine Papastamelos, MD Candidate, Class of 2019
This coat is a symbol of my choice and promise to be a physician who upholds the Georgetown and Jesuit motto of cura personalis. I am committed to caring for the whole patient-- body, mind, and soul. I am so proud to attend a university whose mission is to not only create exceptional clinicians, but to create true healers.
-Justine Achille, MD Candidate, Class of 2019
Do you know why doctors wear white?
For centuries, medicine was not as effective as one would expect; treatment was based on ancient knowledge of anatomy, folklore, and traditional remedies rather than real scientific evidence, and despite the best efforts of physicians at the time, patients suffered for it. Healers actually wore black out of a sense of formality or gravity in the face impending death.
It was only in the last century that medicine embraced clear scientific practices. We learned that disease can be spread by germs, and developed medications and techniques to sterilize ourselves and prevent infections that have plagued humanity for generations. Physicians began to wear laboratory coat white as a way to reflect this new outlook, one of truth seeking, cleanliness, and new life.
The white coat is a symbol of our vow to do no harm, of hope for the future, and a reminder to always seek new ways to aid those in need of our help, in whatever capacity that may be.
Every time I put on my white coat, that is the message I want to send to anyone who sees it.
-Arthur Jurao, MD Candidate, Class of 2019
My humble beginnings are something I cherish greatly, because without them I wouldn't be the person I am today. Both my parents immigrated from Mexico and because of their illegal status, healthcare was never an option. Throughout my life my family has always relied on public hospitals, community health centers, and the emergency department. Experiencing this type of adversity has made me aware of the immense demand for doctors who can provide quality healthcare to underprivileged communities. My white coat means that, as a current medical student and future doctor, I will care for the underserved patients who have been abandoned by our healthcare system; patients like my parents, my neighbors, my friends.
-Natalie Corrilo, MD Candidate, Class of 2019
My white coat means appreciating all of the aspects that contribute to my patients' health. As a double Hoya with a unique Georgetown degree in International Health, I have become one with the idea that health requires caring for the whole person. The diverse experiences that Georgetown has afforded me both locally and abroad over the past five years have shown me that the most important aspect of being a care provider is listening. My white coat means that I will dedicate myself to listening to my patients to understand how I can best support their emotional and physical well-being.
-Lauren Barrison, MD Candidate, Class of 2019
I feel uncomfortable in my white coat. Starched, stiff, and overlarge (with a proclivity for carrying traces of organisms I’d rather not find or spread), it engulfs me in an awkward embrace that signifies a history not only of care for the sick but also of men in coats declaring the antidote to another’s ailment with an authority that denies the patient’s agency. At the same time, it reminds me of my responsibility in donning the white coat, in representing a voice often unheard in medicine as a queer woman, and in advocating for communities similarly silenced. By acknowledging the complex relationship I have with my white coat, I agree to remember the grace and missteps inherent within its cloth, the discomfort and tinge of pride arising from accepting its mantle, and I promise to do my utmost to empower patients to help themselves and their communities, to fight for their rights, their voice, to render my role merely a tool in an arsenal aimed at improving their lives, as well as that of their communities and the world.
-Marilee Goad, MD Candidate, Class of 2019
Most patients have no voice in the politics which will inevitably affect them the most. As a physician, I will be the voice for what my patients deserve. As a feminist, I will advocate for amazing women all over the world. As a human being, I will fight for what I believe is right.
-Allix Hillebrand, MD Candidate, Class of 2019
My white coat represents resilience, and to be able to use my tenacity to be a healthcare advocate for my patients, particularly the underserved. My role as a future physician will involve a dependable partnership with my patients by working together to improve their health. Through reliable communication, I will be better able to support my patients, and offer more personalized care. With expanding my knowledge each year, my perception of the white coat has strengthened my understanding on the importance of a meaningful interaction with patients that will shape their lives in some way. These different patient interactions, including those with others in the healthcare field, will contribute to the progression of quality health services.
-Serina Lewis, MD Candidate, Class of 2019
To truly help someone, one needs more than just compassion and a desire to help. One has to have practical skills and resources to offer the services that people need. My white coat serves as a reminder for me to stay humble, work hard, and never stop learning, not for myself, but for the patients.
-Jim Chihun Han, MD Candidate, Class of 2019
