LSMU First-Year Students Receive Their First White Coats – a Milestone in Their Medical Careers  

On Wednesday, first-year medical students at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) were presented with their first white coats during the traditional festive ceremony. This garment is associated with profound knowledge, empathy, and respect for the patient, professors, and colleagues. For future doctors, it is a symbol of their commitment to perform their duties responsibly and with integrity.

Marking the Beginning of a Doctor’s Journey

Distinguished figures from the medical field gathered to congratulate the new students. The University’s Rector, Professor Rimantas Benetis, emphasised responsibility and dedication to the profession.

“The white coat is the symbol of our profession. It requires devotion, dedication, and sometimes self-sacrifice. Its colour reminds us of the responsibility you take on as members of the medical community,” said the Rector.

He also wished the students a fulfilling and meaningful study experience.

“I hope your studies go as seamlessly as possible. We, the professors, will do our best to support you along the way,” – he added.

Meanwhile, LSMU Vice-Rector for Studies, Professor Kęstutis Petrikonis, encouraged the young people to contribute to building a stronger and healthier Lithuania.

“The white coat is the first step on your path to becoming doctors. May this celebration give you courage, patience, and faith in the road you have chosen,” – said the Vice-Rector.

Responsibility from the Very First Day

During the celebration, the future doctors reaffirmed their commitment to study medical science responsibly and conscientiously by taking the symbolic Hippocratic Oath.

According to Professor Andrius Macas, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, medical ethics should guide students from their very first day at the University, not only after graduation.

“Traditionally, the oath is taken upon completing one’s studies. However, you will begin meeting patients from your first year. Before you know it, people around you will be asking for your advice. That is why you must pledge to act with honesty and dignity right from the start,” – the Dean told the first-year students.

In front of their peers, professors, and guests, the students took the oath and were welcomed as members of the professional medical community.

Inspired by a Family Example

First-year medical student Ieva Machtejevaitė, who read the Hippocratic Oath aloud, said she had understood the meaning of the white coat since childhood. Her choice to study medicine was inspired by her family.

“To me, the white coat represents a new beginning, a new chapter. Since I was little, I saw my mother wearing her white coat. It symbolised the responsibility we feel towards our patients. It’s a great honour to carry that responsibility and continue our family’s tradition of doctors,” she said.

Ieva has not yet decided which medical field to specialise in, but she is fascinated by the study of the human body and how it functions.

“I’m drawn to a surgical field – perhaps cardiology or neurology – but I want to stay open and explore all possibilities during my studies,” – she shared.

White Coats for All University Freshmen  

For the fourth consecutive year, LSMU has held the Freshman’s White Coat Day, an initiative organised by the LSMU Student Affairs Office. On this occasion, white coats are presented to first-year students from all study programmes.

“The white coat is not only a professional symbol or a mark of responsibility for human and animal health but also a sign of unity and distinction that we, as the LSMU community, cherish and take pride in,” – emphasised the Dean of Student Affairs, Assoc. Prof. Dr Laura Malakauskienė.

The coats are presented each year as a gift from the University’s social partners, who collaborate with LSMU in joint projects, student internships, and graduate employment.

This year’s initiative was supported by the medical services company Meliva, the Camelia pharmacy chain, Kika Group, medical equipment supplier Megagen Baltics, dental clinic network Šypsenos akademija, health solutions centre Diagnostikos laboratorija, and Medical Spa Eglės Sanatorija.