White Coat Ceremony held for Central High School Students

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A White Coat Ceremony was held for 33 Central High School juniors who are now one step closer to pursuing a career in the medical field, according to a release.

The Central High School Pre-Medical Magnet Program gives students from west Louisville personal experience with a career in medicine.

In the program, students are able to shadow UofL doctors, scrub into operating rooms, witness surgeries and get some practice performing simpler procedures.

Officials with the program said that this ceremony serves as a reminder of goals that can be fulfilled and encourages the future generation towards a career in the medical field.

“I’m so proud of these students and I know that programs like this work. We already have and will continue to see the changes it makes to our community,” UofL Physicians – OB/GYN & Women’s Health and assistant professor in the department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health at the School of Medicine Edward Miller, M.D. said. “We’ve already connected dozens of students to meet, work with and befriend doctors, nurses and so many more health care professionals, and eventually that number will turn to hundreds, then thousands. These students will no longer be able to say that they have never seen a doctor that looks like them.”

Juniors in the program rotated through each of the core medical fields in an effort to learn which best suits them. As seniors, students will choose an area of medicine and have one-on-one mentorship with leaders in those specialties.

“This program is an extension of the commitment to transform the health of our community by engaging with the next generation of health care professionals,” UofL Health CEO Tom Miller said. “We want to share our passion to care for people, hoping to inspire more students to consider nursing, medical school and other health careers at UofL Health.”

Officials with the program said the program offers educational opportunities, college credit and hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships.

Central High School Students in the Magnet Career Academy are selected through a competitive process that includes test scores, grade point average, personal essays and teacher recommendations.

“Donning a white coat holds special significance for our students,” JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio said. “Being viewed as a member of the UofL Health team is a tremendous opportunity as our students get hands on experience with the doctors and other health care professionals whose footsteps many of them hope to follow.”

The pre-medical magnet program starts accepting applicants in a student’s freshman year. For more information on how to apply, click here.

The white coats were provided by UofL Health. To donate to the program, click or tap here.

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