First-Year Medical Students at LSMU Officially Join the Medical Community with White Coat Ceremony

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

“The University is famous for not only delivering training future specialists, but also for creating traditions. This is the sixth year that first-year students have been presented with the white robes. White is the colour that represents kindness, future, justice, beauty, and many other positive notions. It has the same meaning everywhere – it means goodness. The coat will distinguish you from others: you will recognise each other and others will recognise you too. In addition to the privileges, you will also have responsibilities. I wish you to keep this white, beautiful robe throughout your studies, throughout your career, and throughout your life,”said Prof. Dr. Rimantas Benetis, Rector of LSMU and renowned cardiac surgeon, in his address to the first-year students.

Art and science in one

During the celebration, the future doctors reaffirmed their commitment to study medical science responsibly and conscientiously by taking the symbolic Hippocratic Oath. The young people took the oath in front of their friends, colleagues, and teachers, and were then congratulated on joining the professional medical community.

Before the oath, Prof. Dr. Andrius Macas, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and anaesthesiologist, shared the insights of philosopher Dr. Gerd Heinz-Mohr on medical sciences.

“It is said of a student who comes to study medicine that anyone who goes to see a patient is going abroad. He is going to an area where a foreign language is spoken, foreign customs prevail, the usual food is foreign, and he is even greeted by decidedly foreign weather. Don’t be scared – everything will be fine, but you will need to learn the languages. Today, you will take an oath and it will help you on your journey,” the Dean encouraged the first-year students.

Prof. Dr. A. Tamelis, a proctologist, former long-time Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, the pioneer of the tradition of presentation of the white gowns, compared medicine to art.

“Medicine is both an art and a science. When you take heart rate, blood pressure measurements, record an electrocardiogram, that’s science, but when you have to approach a dying patient, talk to him, comfort him, that’s an art. You will have to have it all in you. You will have to work hard, endlessly, but you will also have a great joy from it,” said Prof. Tamel.

Coat – a symbol of responsibility

Dafna Vaynberg, a first-year medical student who came to Lithuania from Israel to study medicine, was happy to receive her first ever white coat and said that this piece of clothing means great responsibility to help others.

“For me, it means more responsibility, much more responsibility on my shoulders, because I know that people expect me to help them and to do it the best way I can,” said the international student at LSMU.

For the third year in a row, white coats will also be presented to the first-year students of other study programmes at the initiative the LSMU Student Affairs Office. Dr. Laura Malakauskienė, Dean of Student Affairs, reminded that the Office is ready to help first-year and senior students with all their concerns.

“If you have any questions that the Dean’s office cannot answer, we look forward to hearing from you at the Student Affairs Office. Don’t be alone with your concerns and troubles, because there are people at the University who will make sure that you gain support in order to succeed in your studies,” said the Dean.