New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University welcomed 120 new student doctors to Jonesboro at the college’s annual White Coat Ceremony, which was held at the Arkansas State University Fowler Center.
“In a time like no other, the need for talented physicians is great, especially in this region of the nation,” said Shane Speights, DO, dean of NYITCOM at A-State. “It is for that reason that NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine has stepped forward to address that need. We’re proud to welcome the next group of talented future physicians.”
Like many medical schools across the country, NYITCOM at A-State holds its White Coat Ceremony for its incoming first-year class prior to the start of the new academic year to mark the beginning of the medical students’ journey. The NYITCOM at A-State Class of 2026 arrived in Jonesboro and culminated its medical school orientation with the ceremony. The Class of 2026 is NYITCOM’s seventh class on its Arkansas campus.
The white coat assigned to a medical student is considerably shorter than that of a graduated physician. Amanda Deel, DO, NYITCOM at A-State’s associate dean of academic affairs, explained that significance to the incoming class Thursday evening.
“This is purposeful as a way to inform patients and staff that the wearer is a medical learner in training,” Deel said. “After successfully completing medical school, the new physician dons the longer white coat symbolizing the transition from formal student to lifelong learner. The ceremony, is intended to establish a point in time in which the student crosses over into a new role. You will be forever changed by this new role, and only those that have navigated the path before you can empathize.”
NYITCOM at A-State was established in 2016 with the goal of addressing the significant physician shortage in Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta. Additionally, Arkansas ranks near the bottom among U.S. states in health outcomes such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, and NYITCOM at A-State operates educational programs to help people throughout the region understand how to live healthier lives.
“When these students wear their white coats, they will be treated as physicians-in-training in the hospitals, clinics, and communities where they are assigned,” Speights said. “They will embrace a level of responsibility that has yet to be experienced; looked to by patients, families, and medical staff as part of the medical team. Well before they graduate, they will be helping their communities become stronger and healthier.”
Jonesboro native John Mark Webb receives his white coat from Shane Speights, DO, dean of NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University. Webb earned his undergraduate degree at Arkansas State University and will now continue his education on the same campus.