Barry podiatric medicine students receive white coats

Dr. Dennis Frisch explained a white coat’s “greatest gift” is the access to granting patient care. This summer 50 Barry University podiatric medical students participating in the 2010 Rite of Passage ceremony heard his words that went on; “you will now be able to see, treat, and heal patients.” Frisch, a member of the Board of Trustees for the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) served as the keynote speaker.

The Rite of Passage ceremony, narrated by Dr. Sanjay Sesodia, a Barry professor of physiology, continues a tradition for Barry podiatric medical students. The lab coats, presented to the students, have been recognized since the 1800s as the attire of the medical profession. Each student was presented with their coat by Dr. Bibi Singh, DPM, 04, assistant professor of anatomy and podiatric medicine along with Dr. Kaloian Ouzounov, DPM, research director for the Barry School of Podiatric Medicine.

More than 400 family, friends, students, and members of Barry’s faculty and staff attended the program to celebrate the passage of the Class of 2012 from their didactic courses to their clinical training beginning fall 2010.

“The next two years will represent a total metamorphosis and unprecedented change in their intellectual growth,” said Dr. John Nelson, interim dean and associate clinical dean of the School of Podiatric Medicine. “They will go through all the hospital based rotations imaginable including internal medicine, all night in the Emergency Room, general surgery, pathology, and radiology, among many others. They will truly fill out their white coats seeing and treating patients.”

Blake Weeks, president of the Class of 2012 congratulated his classmates for their diligence and hard work in completing 31 classes up to this point in their medical education. He thanked all the family and friends for attending and all the support and encouragement they have given to the students.

Bradley Haves, DPM ’90, past president of the Florida Podiatric Medical Association and Barry Podiatric Alumni Chapter president, delivered an alumni address to the Class of 2012. Haves described his first few clinical rotations and when he was often in over his head: “But I learned as a student doctor that I too could help cure the pain of my patients.”

The Podiatry Insurance Company of America Group (PICA) sponsored the ceremony; providing funding for the lab coats, invitations, programs, and reception that followed. Podiatry Billing Services contributed to the event by funding coat cleaning and pressing costs.