DO White Coat Ceremony 2026 
Reflections from the Class of 2030

August 14, 2026

For the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) Class of 2030, the white coat represents more than the beginning of medical school. It represents years of preparation, the people who helped along the way and the responsibility they are preparing to carry as future physicians.

Ian Wright (DO '30), said this day has been marked on his calendar long before he ever stepped foot onto the Philadelphia campus. “I've been dreaming about this day since middle school, and now it feels like I am one step closer to my life's purpose,” he shared. “There's a realness to it now, whereas before it felt like I didn't have much responsibility and now it feels like I do.”

Wright already has a clear vision of the physician he hopes to become: “I want to be the doctor that patients lean on, and that they leave better than they came in,” he said. “Whether that's with their actual illness or anything they're presented with, I want to be the person coming up with solutions to make patients live happier lives, not just healthier.” Wright sees the white coat as a symbol of a dream coming to life and the responsibility that comes with turning that dream into a long-standing career.

For Avery Periard, MS/Biomed '26, (DO '30), the significance of becoming a physician is rooted in her own experience as a patient. As a child, Periard contracted Helicobacter pylori, a common bacterial infection that affects the stomach. After several months of severe pain and damage to her stomach lining, Periard received a diagnosis and began her recovery thanks to a supportive care team.

“The care I received really showed me the kind of doctor I want to be in the future,” she said. Now, as she begins her own journey as a student doctor, Periard knows there will be difficult days ahead. When those challenges come, she hopes her own story will stand as a reminder to keep going. “Whenever I am struggling in school, or on a really hard rotation, I will think back to why I'm wearing this white coat in the first place.”

Jacob Varrato, MS/Biomed '26, (DO '30), echoes this sentiment, sharing that overcoming obstacles has too been an important part of his journey to receiving his white coat. Varrato struggles with learning disabilities, an experience he shares that has challenged him academically and personally.

“Having learning disabilities can be tough on your mindset, but I credit PCOM as being the reason why I push myself to never give up,” he said. “As I was going through my masters of biomedical sciences, I knew there was a team of people I could rely on, and as I further my education at this amazing school, I know the outcome will be the same.”

Though their paths to medical school are unique, together these students represent the true meaning behind the white coat: a lifelong dream realized, resilience in the face of adversity and a shared commitment to caring for the whole patient. The ceremony marks the first time they wear their coats, but the responsibility and purpose they represent will continue for years to come.

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