The UC Riverside School of Medicine welcomed 91 medical students and five biomedical sciences students at the annual White Coat Ceremony at the Student Recreation Center on Friday, August 8, 2025.
This was the 13th White Coat Ceremony in the school's history and the culmination of five days of orientation activities. See photos of the event here.
Deborah Deas, MD, MPH, the Mark and Pam Rubin Dean of the School of Medicine and vice chancellor for health sciences, welcomed the students to UC Riverside and told them they were joining the school "at an exciting and pivotal moment."
"UCR Health, our health system, has recently announced plans to expand outpatient clinics throughout the region, including a new facility in Riverside," she said. "The University of California, Riverside is steadfast in fulfilling its mission to enhance the health and well-being of the communities we serve... our mission is more critical than ever, and our dedication remains unwavering."
New UC Riverside Chancellor S. Jack Hu, PhD, who began his tenure on July 15, delivered his first formal remarks at a UCR event.
"We are both beginning new journeys that will demand perseverance, adaptability, and resolve," he said. "When I was invited to lead this university, I was drawn to UC Riverside’s unwavering commitment to excellence and access. These values are not only foundational to a great public research university--they are fundamental to the practice of medicine."
The keynote address was provided by Evita Limon-Rocha, MD, a UCR alumna and practicing psychiatrist who serves as chair of the admissions committee for the UCR SOM. She invited the students to "reflect on the beautiful tapestry of your story and every moment here."
"Never forget your tapestry, your story, your mission, and all of those wonderful smiling faces... who are cheering for you," she said. “Some are here tonight and some were not able to be here, but are here with you in spirit; prove all of us right.”
For new medical student Marcos Reyes, "I wanted to become a doctor because in my community, there's not a lot of representation for physicians like me," he said. Reyes hopes to help address the shortage of doctors at home in the Inland Empire while increasing representation for Hispanic physicians. Originally from Indio, CA, he ultimately aims to serve his community as a neurosurgeon after his next step of medical school.
"I'm definitely looking forward to our moment as a class and to be able to see our parents with our white coats on," Reyes said.
After the students received their white coats, they closed the ceremony with the recitation of an oath that they themselves created during orientation week, committing to leading with "empathy, tailoring care to each person's individual needs, values, and lived experiences," and honoring "each person's uniqueness."
Of the class of 2029, 51% come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, 40% are first generation college students, 32% are English as a second language, 60% grew up in a medically underserved region, 90% have ties to the Inland Empire, and 40% are underrepresented in medicine. Overall, the School of Medicine now has a total of 394 students across the four years of the program.
