The University of Georgia School of Medicine held its inaugural White Coat Ceremony at the UGA Performing Arts Center on Aug. 29. The White Coat Ceremony marks a significant milestone for medical students, who officially don their white coats for the first time.

The ceremony brought together friends, family, faculty and staff, along with donors and leaders from UGA, the University System of Georgia and Georgia’s healthcare community. University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue and Dr. Deep Shah, vice chairman of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, were among those who gathered to celebrate the inaugural class at the state’s second public medical school.

“As a land-grant university and Georgia’s flagship institution, UGA is uniquely positioned to address the healthcare needs of our state through world-class medical education, research and community outreach,” UGA President Jere W. Morehead said at the ceremony. “The students who will receive their white coats this morning will set the standard for UGA-trained physicians — now and for generations to come.”

In February 2024, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents authorized the University of Georgia to establish a new independent medical school in Athens. Following the recommendation of Gov. Brian Kemp, the Georgia General Assembly appropriated $50 million in the fiscal year 2024 amended budget for a new School of Medicine facility, a commitment matched by private support. The School of Medicine received preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in February 2026 and welcomed the inaugural class in July.

“You are a special group, and we have great aspirations for you,” Perdue said at the ceremony. “Georgia needs you. We need you here. We need you to get a great education here. We need you to go further into whatever specialty you determine, wherever that may be, and we need you to come home and serve your home state. Georgia needs you here.”

The School of Medicine was founded on a commitment to recognizing the state’s unique health challenges and a mission to address the lingering physician shortage. Georgia ranks 39th nationally in active patient care physicians and 41st in public medical students per capita. Ten counties in Georgia have no physicians.

“You are the first Bulldog physicians in the history of medicine,” Shah said at the ceremony. “You have honored the University of Georgia by selecting us to be where you choose to complete your medical education, and we hope you will return to practice medicine.”

Dr. Colby Ruiz, a 2015 UGA graduate and vascular surgeon in Valdosta, delivered the keynote address, speaking to students about the meaning and significance of the white coat.

“The white coat that you will don is more than a garment,” Ruiz said at the ceremony. “It represents a lifelong journey of learning the art and science of medicine and service. It is a privileged garment. To your patients, it represents integrity and expertise. It represents the lifelong commitment to the pursuit of healing. You will wear it in moments of hope, moments of loss, mourning, joy and even discovery. Wear it with pride, but with humility.”

Students were officially coated by Dr. Vaishali Schuchert, associate dean for student affairs at the School of Medicine, and the ceremony concluded with the recitation of a personalized oath written by the Class of 2030.

The Class of 2030 reflects the School of Medicine’s commitment to strengthening Georgia’s physician workforce. With 95% of students coming from Georgia, the inaugural class has deep roots in the state and a strong commitment to improving the health of its communities.

“The last two and a half years of planning, designing and building this new medical school have all led to this moment — the 64 of you sitting here today,” Dean Shelley Nuss said at the ceremony. “Over the next four years, wear your white coats with pride and understanding of the privilege, and responsibility, of caring for your patients.”

For Skylar Dillon, a 2026 UGA graduate, the significance of the white coat extends far beyond the ceremony itself.

“The white coat is both an honor and a reminder of our responsibilities to our future patients,” Dillon said. “While not yet physicians, it is a manifestation of the humanism, compassion, humility and integrity we all must embody.”

The next milestone for the School of Medicine will be the completion of the medical education and research building in December. The 93,000-square-foot building will serve as the school’s primary educational facility and will include large, active-learning classroom spaces, an anatomy lab, a simulation center, a clinical skills center, individual and group study options, a student lounge and well-being spaces.