FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Over 150 Valley Medical Students Receive White Coats

Contact: Richele Kleiser
(559) 272-8192 or rkleiser@chsu.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Over 150 Valley Medical Students Receive White Coats

CLOVIS, Calif. – The California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) hosted a White Coat Ceremony for its largest cohort of medical students on Saturday, October 1, at the Paul Shaghoian Memorial Concert Hall.

Over 150 medical students in the class of 2026 received their white coat in the presence of their family and friends.

The White Coat Ceremony signifies a rite of passage to emphasize the importance of compassionate patient care at the very start of medical training.

John Graneto, DO, Dean of the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine shared the history of the white coat and the importance of maintaining professionalism and humanism in health care careers.

“I’m very proud that our medical students represent the Central Valley populations we serve through CHSU’s and the medical community’s focused efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion in medicine and medical education,” said Graneto.

Marc Lynch, DO, President of the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California provided a welcome address at the ceremony. Dr. Lynch serves as Board member for the California Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (CASIPP), former Chief of Staff and current Chair in the Department of Surgery at Chino Valley Medical Center, and current Chief of Staff at Kindred Hospital in Ontario. He also teaches osteopathic students for pain management rotations and conducts yearly fellowship courses in advanced spinal cord stimulation for residents at several California universities.  

The white coats were generously sponsored by the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California, an organization focused on advancing and supporting osteopathic physicians in California by serving its mission to engage, educate, and advocate for DOs, so doctors can focus on being doctors. Founded in 1961, the association serves over 9,000 current and future doctors of osteopathic medicine throughout California.

White Coat ceremony video clips and photos available for download here, courtesy of California Health Sciences University here.

About California Health Sciences University

California Health Sciences University (CHSU) is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Founded by the Assemi family, CHSU is the first university of its kind in the Central Valley and offers a local option for medical and pharmacy school to help remedy the shortage of health care services offered in the Valley.

The CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine now has over 350 medical students in attendance and plans to grow to approximately 600 medical students in the next couple of years. Applications are being accepting for its fourth cohort of 150 medical students to matriculate in 2023. (link)

The university plans to open up to 10 post-baccalaureate colleges on their 110-acre campus in Clovis, California to train health care professionals in the coming years. The timing and specific discipline for each new program will be determined based on the need and opportunity for job placement within the region.

For more information about California Health Sciences University (CHSU), visit www.chsu.edu or find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin.

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