178 Rutgers Medical Students Celebrate ‘White Coat’ Milestone

NEWARK, NJ — It’s a big milestone in a new doctor’s life: their first time putting on a white coat.

Last month, an incoming class of 178 students at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) donned their coats for the first time in a symbolic ceremony on South Orange Avenue in Newark.

Each year, “several thousand” people apply to NJMS, but fewer than 200 applicants are admitted, according to administrators. This year’s incoming class included a plethora of inspiring success stories, such as:

Antoine Saint-Victor – “Born in Newark and raised in East Orange, Antoine is the first in his family to graduate from a four-year college. His mother has worked at University Hospital for 30 years as an x-ray technician. A graduate of Cornell University, Antoine has been living and working in Boston as a certified medical coder. He is also a peer advisor for the Men of Color Council.”

Beth Al Kik – “Beth is relocating from her home-state of Georgia to attend NJMS. A professional firefighter and EMT, Beth has also worked as a SWAT medic and a member of a water rescue team. A graduate of Georgia State University, Beth chose NJMS so that she would have the opportunity to work with underserved urban populations.”

Edwige Dossou-Kitti – “An NJMS Humanism Fellow, Edwige is a first-generation immigrant and the first woman in her family to pursue higher education. She emigrated from Togo to Brooklyn at age 6. Edwige is a strong advocate for victims of gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation (FGM.) For her efforts, she was recently selected as recipient of a Global Woman Award by the Global Peace Foundation. Edwige is a graduate of City College of New York, and the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.”

As per custom, the class of 2023 had a moment of solidarity when they recited the Hippocratic Oath in unison, agreeing to adhere to the high professional standards of patient care and the practice of medicine.

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