WesternU College of Health Sciences-Northwest welcomes new class of physical therapy students

Western University of Health Sciences College of Health Sciences-Northwest (CHS-Northwest) celebrated the start of the new academic school year with the annual white coat ceremony held at the Lebanon First Assembly Church in Lebanon, Oregon on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.

The white coat symbolizes a commitment to care for patients and signifies a student's official entrance into the health care professions. Celebrating this fresh start is a rite of passage for WesternU students beginning their graduate education.

However, CHS-Northwest students have already dipped their toes into their Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, as classes began a few weeks ago.

DPT student Miguel Andalon-Ordaz stands with classmates before the white coat ceremony (Steven Webber, WesternU)

"The relationships that have started to form between faculty and students have made the learning experience both enjoyable and effective," said Oregon native and DPT student Miguel Andalon-Ordaz. "The collaborative environment has fostered my growth both as an individual and a future professional."

At WesternU, faculty and staff cultivate an environment of personal and professional growth so students can develop a compassionate approach to patient care. During the white coat ceremony, students were encouraged to remember the importance of developing a humanistic approach to health care.

"What really is comforting to your patient is you, your compassion, your humanism, and maybe even your humor. It goes a long way. This is your time, and we welcome you," said WesternU President Robin Farias-Eisner, MD, PhD, MBA.

The tradition of wearing the white coat dates to the 1800s, when health care professionals wore the white coat to signify cleanliness and sanitation. However, as CHS-Northwest Site Dean and Associate Professor Jonathan Perry, PhD, MSc, explained during the white coat ceremony, today the white coat has come to represent more than physical hygiene.

"The white coat tells the world you are clean, but not just a physical clean. The white coat represents a clean slate, open-minded approach to new knowledge and lifelong learning," said Dr. Perry.

Throughout the ceremony, students were encouraged to look ahead and think of the patients they would someday be helping. Unlike some other health care professions, physical therapists spend quality time with their patients over several months or years.

"You have selected the best branch of health care. Physical therapists are allowed to work with patients for 30 to 60 minutes at a time, often for multiples days, weeks, or months," shared CHS-Northwest Department of Physical Therapy Chair and Professor Sandra Saavedra, PhD, PT. "Physical therapists therefore touch people's lives in ways that create bonds for decades. You will have the opportunity to individually understand the patients' challenges and celebrate their success. Healing and recovery are often painful and intimidating. You will be there to guide and coach back to movement and to a life that they love."

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