2026 White Coat Ceremony: A Commitment to Medicine & Service

On Aug. 7, 2026, a warm Friday evening, 125 students gathered at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, full of excitement and surrounded by family and friends. Representing less than 2% of the 7,000 applicants for the UC Irvine School of Medicine, these future physicians entered the theater together with white coats draped over their arms. At that moment, they assumed a new, collective identity as the Class of 2030.

“Welcome students, faculty, family members and friends to the UC Irvine School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2030,” said Michael J. Stamos, MD, interim vice chancellor of Health Affairs and dean of the School of Medicine.

“For our incoming students, this ceremony represents much more than receiving a white coat,” Stamos continued. “It is the moment when years of hard work, sacrifice and determination begin to transform into a lifelong commitment to medicine and service.”

A Remarkable Moment

Stamos shared how the white coat, alongside the stethoscope, has been a symbol of the medical profession for more than a century. It has come to symbolize not only scientific excellence but also compassion, integrity and trust.

“It reminds us that becoming a physician is about more than acquiring knowledge — it is about developing character, empathy and a commitment to patients,” said Stamos, stressing that this is a time of both opportunity and transformation. “The future of healthcare will be shaped by your generation.”

As the Class of 2030, these future physicians will help redefine how care is delivered in an increasingly complex world.

“You will advocate for health equity and work toward a healthcare system that is accessible and responsive to the needs of all communities,” said Stamos. “Here at UC Irvine, health equity is one of our guiding principles, and there is no better place to learn these lessons than Orange County, one of the most diverse regions in the nation.”

Stamos highlighted UCI Health’s opening of the nation’s first all-electric hospital in December 2025, and the opening of a new 52-bed rehab hospital in Irvine in July 2026. Also in July, the flagship hospital in Orange celebrated 50 years of service.

“You are beginning your medical education at a remarkable moment in the history of the UC Irvine School of Medicine — one that reflects both our rich legacy and our bold vision for the future,” he said. “As members of the Class of 2030, you inherit the legacy of those who came before you and join a community committed to advancing medicine for generations to come.”

Introducing the Class of 2030

Megan Boysen Osborn, MD, the School of Medicine associate dean for students, introduced the Class of 2030 — which includes 114 California residents and 68 graduates of the University of California — as “brilliant, innovative, talented, creative and compassionate” individuals.

“They are not only academically talented; they’ve put in thousands of hours doing research in the laboratory and volunteering in clinical spaces,” said Osborn. “They’ve served as EMTs, ski patrollers, lifeguards and crisis line volunteers. They play the cello and do taekwondo.”

She also listed all the second languages they speak: Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Telugu, Croatian, Tamil, Farsi, Vietnamese and Spanish.

“They’ve published scientific papers and are college swimmers, gymnasts, figure skaters and tennis players. They are cookie business owners, youth sports coaches and radio show hosts,” she continued. “In summary, they’ve worked very hard to get to where they are today.”

Additionally, four students are part of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), an MD/PhD program focused on translating research into clinical care. Around 40 students are members of one of UC Irvine’s five mission-based programs, each of which addresses a specific need in healthcare.

All listened intently as Jonathan Steller, MD, an associate clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology and co-director of the Space MED mission-based program, shared what he wishes he had known when first receiving his own white coat.

While Steller had assumed he was on a “one-track path” of becoming a healer, he came to realize the field offered a legion of career options.

“Of course we heal, but we also discover and we teach, lead, advise governments, improve public policy and help build new technologies,” he said. “We carry new medications to market, peer review scientific studies, guide grant funding to high-yield topics, redesign healthcare systems, and help shape the future of public health,” he continued.

“So today, as you put your white coat on, think of it as receiving a passport to explore,” said Steller.

With that advice, the Class of 2030 participated in the “coating of the students,” officially kicking off their medical exploration, and recited the physician’s oath, confirming their lifelong commitment to the service of others.

View more photos from the ceremony. (Photo credit: Christopher Todd Studios)

— Shani Murray