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By Kathy L. Gilbert*
2:30 P.M. EDT August 25, 2011 | NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)
Lauren Thompson (left) and other members of the class of 2015 dental
students participate in the lighting of candles and dental oath during
the white coat ceremony
at Meharry Medical College. UMNS photos by Kathleen Barry.
View in Photo Gallery
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Fifty-five nervous, fidgeting young people with white coats draped
over their arms lined up, ready to take a significant step toward the
fulfillment of their dreams.
Inside the auditorium at Meharry Medical College, School of
Dentistry, family members also fidgeted, eager to see their children
step up and put on those white coats as a symbol that the journey toward
a dentistry degree has officially begun.
The class of 2015 white coat ceremony was Aug. 19 at the historically
black, United Methodist-related medical and dental college. Three
groups of first-year students from the school of graduate studies and
research, school of medicine and school of dentistry, received their
first crisp white “doctor” coats with their names and the Meharry seal
embroidered on the front pocket.
Before the presentation began, Dr. Wayne J. Riley, president, and Dr.
Janet H. Southerland, dean of the school of dentistry, welcomed the
families and offered advice and encouragement to the students.
“This is a ceremonial welcome to our future health-care
professionals,” said Riley. “It is also a fun day; we get to see all of
you dressed well. I know you all tried on those coats to see how good
you look; I know you did,” he said, laughing.
But he also reminded the students that with those white coats comes
responsibility. This ceremony is one of many reminders you will get
through the next few years of how privileged you are, he added. Turning
to the families he warned, you might not be seeing or hearing much from
them. “This is the boot camp phase of their lives, they are going to be
consumed with studying.”
Southerland, dean of the school of dentistry, told the students she
was especially honored to be putting the coats on this year’s students.
“You are the first class I will see from start to finish.” Southerland
was named dean early last year and moved from North Carolina to
Nashville to take the position.
After all 55 had been properly “cloaked,” candles were lit and the students stood and recited the dental oath.
The solemn occasion was peppered with a few snickers as students
tripped over some of the words, “I accept the challenge to strive for
superior excellence didactically.” Lots of mumbling followed those
words. Dr. Gregory A. Stoute, leading the oath, paused. “Say it again.
‘Superior excellence di-dac-ti-cal-ly.’”
They were in unison as they said, “All this I pledge with pride in my
commitment to the profession and as a Meharry Medical College, School
of Dentistry student.”
All in the family
Among the 55 first-year dental students was Lauren Thompson, 22, who
is the fifth consecutive generation in her family to attend Meharry. It
was a big day for her mother, father, grandmother and sister who had all
traveled from near Memphis, Tenn., to be at the ceremony.
After the ceremony, Lauren’s mother, Ethel, was all smiles.
Lauren Thompson (front) is the fifth generation of the Williams family
to attend Meharry Medical College and School of Dentistry. Behind Lauren
(from left) are Ethel Thompson, mother; Marian Williams, grandmother;
Erin Thompson, sister; and Dr. Dwight Thompson, father.
View in Photo Gallery
“We have a long history of Meharry graduates,” she said. It is her
side of the family, the Williamses, that has the five generations of
doctors and dentists from Meharry.
She lists them all: Frank E. Williams Sr., 1918; James B. Williams
Sr., 1940; James Williams Jr., 1957; then brothers James B. Williams
III, 1984, and Kenneth Williams, 1986.
Lauren’s father, Dwight, graduated in the 1984 class along with James
III. He is a dentist at a community dental clinic in rural Mississippi.
He has two brothers and a first cousin who also graduated from the
Nashville school.
“Meharry has always had a reputation of training strong
African-American physicians, dentists and health-care providers,” said
Dwight. “You go through trials and tribulations but when you come out of
there, you are ready to face the world.”
Dwight said he didn’t try to persuade his daughter to go to Meharry
but he thinks his wife might have done a little pushing in that
direction.
"She (Lauren) always she knew she wanted to go to medical school,”
said her mother. “We kept asking her if she was sure, and in her senior
year she told us she wanted to go to dental school. Of course her daddy
was really excited because of his history at Meharry, and I was really
excited because of my family’s history at Meharry.”
Lauren graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans
last spring. So far, she is feeling good about her decision to go to
dental school. Her academic year at Meharry actually began at the end of
June. She said her family always talked about Meharry being a great
place to get an education and also a nurturing atmosphere.
“They care about you as an individual,” she said. “My family said
they make sure you succeed and become the best person you can be.”
One Meharry tradition that she does plan to continue is going back to
an underserved community to practice once she has her degree.
“There is such a lack of proper health care in the United States right now,” she said. “I do want to give back in that way.”
*Gilbert is a multimedia reporter for the young adult content team at United Methodist Communications, Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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