Sanford School of Medicine Class of 2026 Receives White Coats
The USD Sanford School of Medicine welcomed 71 first-year medical students to the start of their medical school careers with its White Coat ceremony.
The White Coat ceremony is a rite held at medical schools across the nation in recognition of the expectations society places on physicians and symbolizes the journey the students are beginning.
The SSOM’s newest class includes 71 students, one of whom is pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. Fifty-two percent of the class is female; 48% are male. Collectively, the class graduated from 19 different colleges--seven from South Dakota, eight from border states and four from non-border states. Their average age is 23.8 years, representing 28 different South Dakota high schools. 41% have a rural background growing up in communities of fewer than 10,000 people and 62% are from a town of fewer than 30,000 people.
The presentation of the white coats was led by Dr. Lori Hansen, interim dean of Medical Student Affairs. Dr. Jerome Freeman, chair of the SSOM Department of Neurosciences, Dr. April Willman, interim dean of the Yankton campus and Dr. Matthew Simmons, dean of the Rapid City campus, coated the students.
The Class of 2026 was then led in reciting the Affirmation of the Physician by Dr. Lucio Margallo, president of the South Dakota State Medical Association. They began their formal medical training in July.
The SSOM’s newest class includes 71 students, one of whom is pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. Fifty-two percent of the class is female; 48% are male. Collectively, the class graduated from 19 different colleges--seven from South Dakota, eight from border states and four from non-border states. Their average age is 23.8 years, representing 28 different South Dakota high schools. 41% have a rural background growing up in communities of fewer than 10,000 people and 62% are from a town of fewer than 30,000 people.
The presentation of the white coats was led by Dr. Lori Hansen, interim dean of Medical Student Affairs. Dr. Jerome Freeman, chair of the SSOM Department of Neurosciences, Dr. April Willman, interim dean of the Yankton campus and Dr. Matthew Simmons, dean of the Rapid City campus, coated the students.
The Class of 2026 was then led in reciting the Affirmation of the Physician by Dr. Lucio Margallo, president of the South Dakota State Medical Association. They began their formal medical training in July.
