EVMS White Coat Ceremony postponed
Given the uncertainty around the recent rise in COVID-19 cases related to the Delta variant and out of an abundance of caution, we have made the very difficult decision to cancel the upcoming MD Reception on TowneBank Lawn and to postpone the MD White Coat Ceremony until a later date (yet to be determined).
These decisions were made in consultation with hospital partners and in line with campus COVID-19 policies being updated today by the EVMS Continuity of Operations Taskforce.
COVID-19 cases across the U.S are on the rise. While Virginia continues to perform better than many areas of the country, our hospital partners are reporting increases in COVID-19 cases and admissions. Local rates of vaccination are still less than 50%, which suggests area hospitals will almost certainly face increasing rates of infection that will once again strain the area health system. EVMS faculty, staff, residents and students work and learn in these vital clinical areas. Therefore, we must do our part to keep everyone safe so we can continue to provide the academic experiences vital to you as future physicians.
We know the White Coat Ceremony traditionally marks the beginning of one’s journey as a medical student and that you were looking forward to sharing this with your friends and family. We too are disappointed we cannot celebrate these events as planned, however, your health and safety, as well as our obligation to safeguard the healthcare system of this community are our highest priorities.
We will make every effort to reschedule the White Coat Ceremony when it is most feasible. Thank you for your understanding during this time.