FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Valley Medical Students Receive White Coats

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Valley medical students receive white coats
CHSU-COM Hosts First White Coat Ceremonies for 199 Student Doctors

California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) hosted their first official White Coat Ceremonies on Saturday, October 2 at Paul Shaghoian Memorial Concert Hall.

The two ceremonies were held on the same day for 199 medical students in the classes of 2024 and 2025 since the ceremony for the inaugural class of 2024 was postponed a year due to COVID.

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 welcomed guests and shared the history of the white coat. He also spoke to the students about the importance of maintaining professionalism and humanism in health care careers.

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

He added, “You develop your professionalism through relationships, reflection and resilience; these are things you “wear” even when not in white coat. Each time you wear your white coat should remind you of the honor to provide care for another human being.”

Rebeccah Rodriguez Regner, DO, presented the keynote address at the ceremonies. Dr. Rodriguez Regner is a board certified Family Medicine and Sports Medicine physician who serves on the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee as a Team USA physician.  

The white coats were generously sponsored by the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California (OPSC), an organization focused on advancing and supporting osteopathic physicians in California by serving their mission to engage, educate, and advocate for DOs, so doctors can focus on being doctors. Founded in 1961, their association serves over 9,000 current and future Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine throughout California. Attendees were required to be fully vaccinated and wear masks during the ceremony.

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 doctoral programs to help remedy the shortage of health care services offered in the Valley.

The CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine is accepting applications for their third cohort of medical students to matriculate in 2022. (link)

The CHSU College of Pharmacy is accepting applications for their new, 3-year Doctor of Pharmacy program to matriculate in 2022, contingent upon various accreditation approvals. (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.

###