White Coat Ceremony 2026

The University of Arizona R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy Class of 2027 celebrated its transition from academic coursework to advanced clinical training during the annual White Coat Ceremony at Centennial Hall on Friday, April 10.

During the ceremony, 122 students received their white coats from faculty members. These students have completed their third year of academic coursework and will begin clinical rotations for their final year. Members of the Class of 2026, due to graduate in May, led the group in reciting the Oath of Professionalism.

Amanda Klein, PharmD, a 2012 alumna of the Coit College of Pharmacy, was the keynote speaker. She spoke to the pressures of having to have your professional career already planned out. "It’s okay to have a plan. It’s okay not to have a plan. And it’s more than okay for that plan to change—one year, five years, even ten years after graduation. In fact, it’s expected. Because you will change. Your experiences will shape you. Your patients will change you. Your successes and setbacks will refine what matters most to you. The career you envision today may not be the one you ultimately pursue, and that is not failure—that is growth. What will remain constant, however, is the foundation you’ve built here, and the community that comes with it," Dr. Klein said.

Interim Dean Brian Erstad, PharmD, shared the importance of the white coat and what it means to wear one. “As you wear your white coat, understand it is a symbol. It represents your unwavering commitment to professionalism, ethics, and patient-focused care. It marks your dedication to a lifetime of learning. You possess the skills, the knowledge, and the character to move forward. You’ve earned your place here today, and with that comes the responsibility to continue developing the qualities that will help you navigate the challenges ahead.”