Florida International University has welcomed new medical students. The tradition marks a huge milestone for the school as they inducted 121 future physicians, demonstrating how large the program has grown since its inception in the late 2000s.
In 2009, FIU hosted its first of these ceremonies where only a couple of students participated in the same ceremony under the brand new Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. Now on their 15th ceremony, 121 students.
The white coat ceremony is celebrated yearly at medical schools nationwide to mark the beginning of medical students' journey to becoming physicians. Since FIU's first white coat ceremony, the College of Medicine has graduated more than 1,000 physicians.
The MD class of 2027 is just as diverse as it is strong, with 78% of students being bilingual, with 19 countries represented in their student body. Almost a fifth of the students are the first in their families to graduate from college. Most (81%) are Florida residents, and a majority of those are from South Florida (63%).
At the ceremony, FIU President Kenneth Jessell spoke of the importance of doctors staying in South Florida and properly equipping them for the job. "This class is proof that at FIU, we're meeting the needs of our local students and the needs of our local workforce by attracting talent from our own backyard."
The Class of 2027 is starting its medical journey at a transformational time for the Wertheim College of Medicine. The medical school is talking with Baptist Health, South Florida's largest not-for-profit healthcare system, to form an agreement that will expand undergraduate and graduate medical education programs, develop clinical and teaching facilities, grow faculty-physician practices and deepen capabilities around pioneering research.
FIU has gained notoriety for jumping up in national university rankings, even challenging flagship universities like University of Florida and Florida State University. FIU's medical program is simply no different.
