Katie Brite Hillis, MD, interim vice dean of Medical Education for the college’s Yuma Regional Branch, coats Charles Zhang at the ceremony.
White Coat Ceremony honored traditional four-year students, as well as those in the Primary Care Accelerated Program
A cherished rite of passage, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix’s White Coat Ceremony — held Friday, July 17, in the North Ballroom of the Phoenix Convention Center — symbolized a new beginning for 145 new medical students.
As their friends and families watched on, boisterously cheering and applauding with each announcement, the students donned their white coats — emblazoned with a Keeping Health Care Human pin — and received their first stethoscopes, which signify the human touch in medicine.
It was a joyous occasion, and one that represented the beginning of lifelong dedication to considerate, patient-centered care and the promise to never stop expanding their medical knowledge.
In his remarks, Dean Fred Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA, was sure to touch on the exciting times ahead. “Our medical school is growing. We have welcomed and are recruiting exceptional new leaders, who will transform how we deliver education… Our research enterprise is escalating, creating opportunities for you and our current students to better explore areas of immense need” he said. “You are also a fundamental part of that growth, and you will be instrumental in helping to address the issues facing health care in Arizona.”
For the Primary Care Accelerated Program students, who will graduate in three years, their futures are directly tied to alleviating Arizona’s pressing physician shortage. They will do their first 18 months of pre-clinical training alongside the traditional four-year students. The following 18 months of clinical training will take place at the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix, Yuma Branch in collaboration with Onvida Health.
The groundbreaking collaboration established the first rural regional medical school branch in the state; and it marks a defining moment for rural health care in Arizona. Yuma, like other rural regions, is designated as a primary medical Health Professional Shortage Area. These students have made a commitment to serve there once their studies are complete, giving back to the community that will teach them.
Robert Trenschel, DO, MPH, the president and CEO of Onvida Health, served as a guest speaker at the ceremony. His remarks touched on the importance of Onvida and the College of Medicine – Phoenix coming together. “We are creating something special: a program that will help address critical physician shortages, expand access to care, and build a stronger health care future for Southwest Arizona and beyond,” he said.
And his advice to the students was to relish the opportunities that lie ahead. “Enjoy the journey. The next few years will be among the most challenging, rewarding and transformative years of your life,” he said. “One day, you will look back and realize these years helped shape not only the physician you became, but the person you became as well.”
The Alumni and Keynote Address was delivered by Alan Wang, MD. A graduate of the college’s Class of 2013, Dr. Wang returned to Arizona after completing his epilepsy fellowship at the University of Miami. He now serves as the program director for the college’s Neurology Residency.
Dr. Wang centered his remarks on encouraging the new class to commit themselves to always demonstrating empathy in their care. “Even in the face of helpless disease, these patients remain human, and compassion can always help humanity,” he said. “I hope you remember how happy, hopeful and excited you feel today. In the next few weeks, months and years…I hope you also remember what got you here and why you are here.”
The ceremony concluded with a recitation of the The Physician’s Pledge. First adopted by the 2nd General Assembly of the World Medical Association in Geneva, Switzerland, in September 1948, this pledge — updated most recently in 2017 — is a core international statement of medical ethics. Its words will serve as a guiding light for the students as they progress through medical school.
For this year’s ceremony, the white coats and stethoscopes were generously donated by Banner Health, the college’s primary clinical partner.
July 17, 2026 | Thomas Kelly | Original Post