PHILADELPHIA – Far away from town hall showdowns on the future of health care in America, the next generation of doctors is preparing to don their first white coats, a sign of commitment and optimism as they begin learning the art and science of healing. The 161 individuals in the Perelman School of Medicine’s entering class of 2009 will recite the time honored Hippocratic Oath to “first, do no harm” in front of family and friends on Friday as they start their medical careers. Ranging from 21 to 28 years in age, students in the class represent 61 colleges and 31 states from around the country – nearly one quarter are from Pennsylvania. However the health care reform debate is resolved, these men and women stand ready to follow in the Penn Medicine tradition of compassionate care, advanced medicine and putting patients first.
| WHERE: |
Zellerbach Theatre [directions and map]
Annenberg Center
University of Pennsylvania
3680 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104 |
WHEN: |
Friday, August 14, 2008
3 - 5 PM |
WHO: |
3:05 PM |
Keynote address, Tradition, presented by Ernest F. Rosato, MD, Professor of Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine |
3:45 PM |
White coats presented by Gail Morrison, MD, Vice Dean for Education and Director of the Office of Academic Programs and Stanley Goldfarb, MD, Associate Dean for Curriculum |
4:40 PM |
Incoming class recites Hippocratic Oath |
|
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, excellence in patient care, and community service. The organization consists of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Penn’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school.
The Perelman School of Medicine is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $550 million awarded in the 2022 fiscal year. Home to a proud history of “firsts” in medicine, Penn Medicine teams have pioneered discoveries and innovations that have shaped modern medicine, including recent breakthroughs such as CAR T cell therapy for cancer and the mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities stretch from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to the New Jersey shore. These include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Chester County Hospital, Lancaster General Health, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and Pennsylvania Hospital—the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.
Penn Medicine is an $11.1 billion enterprise powered by more than 49,000 talented faculty and staff.