Hey, So I know the white coat ceremony is a big deal and probably very meaningful, but I'm wondering how big of a deal would it be to miss it (for something else that is very important)? Are we expected to attend it? Will I be kicking myself for missing it if I do choose to miss it? Or is it more like graduation, where you go because yes, it's important, but to be honest I don't think I'd be sad if I missed it. It's more for my family I think.
White Coat Ceremony
- Thread starter MN premed
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Your Division of Student Affairs might make it mandatory. That said, I wouldn't miss it as it is important to your family.
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It is like graduation, check with your school to see if you must attend.
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If you don't attend, you can never practice in a white coat and are FORCED to practice in a "members only" jacket for the rest of your professional career. 
I don't know what you have to do, but I sympathize. I hate graduations, advancement ceremonies, etc. However, this one is probably required and you're loved ones will probably want pictures, etc ... so you'll most likely end up going.
I don't know what you have to do, but I sympathize. I hate graduations, advancement ceremonies, etc. However, this one is probably required and you're loved ones will probably want pictures, etc ... so you'll most likely end up going.
I thought I might have to miss my white coat ceremony for my best friend's wedding that I was the maid of honor in...however the wedding happened to be the weekend before.
Personally I would've missed the ceremony for the wedding, but I can't think of too many other events that I would've missed it for.
Personally I would've missed the ceremony for the wedding, but I can't think of too many other events that I would've missed it for.
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These things are usually required. Anyway, it'll mean a lot to your family.
Besides, at our White Coat Ceremony, they took our official class photo. Do you want to be left out of that?
Besides, at our White Coat Ceremony, they took our official class photo. Do you want to be left out of that?
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Gotta' make Mom happy.
Hm, so it sounds like I need to find out if it's mandatory or not and how important it is to my parents.
I'd be missing it for my own wedding, if we need to make the date that weekend lol. So it's pretty dang important!
I'd be missing it for my own wedding, if we need to make the date that weekend lol. So it's pretty dang important!
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Mandotary is relative. If you have a good enough reason you can probably get out of a mandotary event with permission. If you feel the other event is more important, go for it. I'd go to my best friend wedding over it, for example.
Other than my mom, who at at the moment has no idea what a white coat ceremony is (but once she find outs will want to be there to help set-up at dawn and close down at dusk), the rest of my family would be indifferent.
So, the advice is good, but remember if you have to skip, you can normally got out of the event even if it is mandatory.
Other than my mom, who at at the moment has no idea what a white coat ceremony is (but once she find outs will want to be there to help set-up at dawn and close down at dusk), the rest of my family would be indifferent.
So, the advice is good, but remember if you have to skip, you can normally got out of the event even if it is mandatory.
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Well congratulations!! With that said, get ready to spend ur honeymoon with cadavers 🙂
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Ours was mandatory, but as others said above, "mandatory" is relative. Your own wedding...that is a pretty good reason to need to miss the ceremony. Talk to the school, I'm sure they'll work something out even if it is considered mandatory. BTW, our ceremony was hellishly long, I'd have missed it if I could.
Okay, thanks everyone 🙂 We haven't actually picked the date yet, but depending on availability and our schedules, that weekend might end up being the best time to do it. I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be making a mistake by scheduling the wedding for the same weekend and missing the white coat ceremony. But yes, my parents will be very happy to see me get married, I'm sure they can wait until my med school graduation to really celebrate me becoming a doctor!
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For many years I've tried to avoid the obligation and commitment of medical school because I used to be a bit lacking in the ambition department even though I wanted to be a doctor. That said, many years ago, I thought about going through this paramedic - RN program and moving on up with life via that route. I was working part-time as a medic and thought it'd be ok. I'd finally come to terms with cleaning vomit and changing sheets when I found out that graduates of the program had to go through some kind of pinning ceremony that involved them wearing all white and lighting some kind of candles. At that moment, I knew nursing was out although I was probably only 22 at the time, had gotten my bachelor's about a year earlier, and had a head full of stupid.
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A head full of stupid LOL! Your avatar and that comment combined into an image in my head. I loved it. Thank you for sharing. That was priceless......I think I had the same head full of stupid. Amazing LOL. I almost had diet coke come out my nose AK Ranger. Thanks for the comment, and laugh.
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If you haven't set a date yet, why not choose ANY other weekend? Every single weekend can't possibly be booked? This will be a big deal to your parents, just as your wedding will, but why not do both? This will be the first time the class will be together and people will be taking pictures and having fun, there will be a reception afterwards, etc. I dunno, if I were you, I'd go. The ceremony itself might be long and boring, but I would bet you'll leave with a lot of memories of the evening.
We don't have the luxury of picking any weekend we want, because we're working around his military schedule. It may or may not need to be that weekend, depending on when he's able to come home, we aren't sure yet.
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If you don't attend, you can never practice in a white coat and are FORCED to practice in a "members only" jacket for the rest of your professional career.
I will say without a doubt my wedding was waaay more memorable and important than my white coat ceremony 🙂 So definitely schedule your wedding first and then worry about the white coat ceremony later.
I don't remember it being mandatory in my school and very few things are absolutely mandatory (at least at my school) that they won't work with you on if it's something important like a wedding.
