Dressed in a vivid red shirt, Malik Richardson’s immaculate, clinical white coat and radiant smile were prominent among the crowd of FSU College of Medicine peers, families, and friends gathered at the Westcott Fountain to commemorate Friday’s White Coat Ceremony.
When asked to convey the significance and feelings tied to the White Coat Ceremony – a tribute to the successful completion of the initial semester of medical school where students receive their inaugural white coats – Richardson answered without hesitation.
“It feels incredible,” stated Richardson, who was chosen by his peers as the M.D. Class of 2029 president. “In my role as president, I am here to serve, so I support all my classmates, and in the future, God willing, as a physician, I will also serve my patients.”
“This white coat symbolizes not only the love and compassion I possess for all the patients I engage with, but it also truly encapsulates what it means to be a proficient physician. My hope is to embody the qualities of an exceptional doctor.”
Although its journey is just commencing, the Class of 2029 holds special importance. It marks the 25th cohort of the College of Medicine to embark on the four-year Doctor of Medicine curriculum, coinciding with the college’s 25th anniversary this year.
So far, the college has produced 2,066 doctors, with over 1,100 completing residency and actively practicing. These figures are expected to surpass 2,500 and 1,500 by the time Richardson and his classmates graduate in May 2029.
Chosen from 6,700 candidates, the 120-member class was narrowed down from 190 offers after 263 individual interviews. Its composition, while distinctive, remains grounded in the college’s mission-driven values.
▪ Eight members from the Bridge to Clinical Medicine master’s program and eight others who progressed through the undergraduate Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences program are part of the College of Medicine’s highlighted pathway programs.
▪ The class includes students from 17 different undergraduate disciplines, showcasing both traditional pre-med tracks (biology, biomedical sciences, neuroscience, microbiology, and biochemistry) alongside a rich array of majors such as history, anthropology, music, economics, nursing, environmental science, computer science, and political science.
▪ There are 26 first-generation college students and 52 non-traditional students in the cohort; those who did not enter directly from an undergraduate program.
▪ Overall, 118 of the 120 members were either raised in Florida or attended a state university, representing 35 Florida counties and speaking 22 different languages.
▪ Collectively, they entered medical school with more than 67,000 combined hours of research experience and 71,000 cumulative hours dedicated to community service, whether in medical or non-medical settings.
“No matter your background, tonight’s event will be something you remember for a lifetime,” FSU College of Medicine Dean Alma Littles, M.D., remarked in her introductory words. “You will be transformed by the act of wearing the white coat and will come to appreciate the weight of the responsibility it entails.
“This summer, you had the chance to connect with your peers and forge closer bonds in your shared journey. You will rely on one another immensely in the upcoming years, and tonight I hope you’ll take a moment to look around at your classmates and share in the collective pride of what this ceremony signifies.”
The evening gathering at the Ruby Diamond Concert Hall marks the celebration of the medical students’ completion of a demanding first semester, which commenced in late May. This event also includes the induction of select fourth-year medical students into the Chapman Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society.
GHHS inductees are chosen by peers and faculty for exemplifying humanism in their patient care, showcasing compassion, respect, empathy, integrity, and clinical excellence. They serve as role models for the emerging physicians starting their medical journey.
Sixteen members of the M.D. Class of 2026 were honored with GHHS induction, with 11 taking part in the pinning ceremony preceding the main event. Katelyn Cornelius, one of the inductees, shared a vital message with the first-year students in attendance.
“As I contemplate my medical school experience, I’ve come to understand that the most profound lessons often arise not from textbooks or lectures,” said Cornelius, sharing a few anecdotes from her clinical training. “They come from individuals—patients, classmates, and mentors—who impart lessons of compassion, vulnerability, and trust.”
Dean Littles then introduced alumnus Marlisha Edwards, M.D. as the keynote speaker:
“Describing Dr. Edwards as the embodiment of all the wonderful aspects FSU has to offer, and reflecting its mission, vision, and values, would be an understatement.”
Dr. Edwards is an FSU College of Medicine graduate who practices family medicine in Tallahassee with Southern Medical Group/TMH Physician Partners. She teaches third-year medical students as a member of the college’s clerkship faculty and serves as president of SMG’s executive committee.
Her journey to becoming a leader in the medical field aligns with the vision of the College of Medicine’s founders, who aimed to create programs that would encourage and assist students responding to Florida’s primary care physician shortage. As an undergraduate at FSU, she was a SSTRIDE mentor and actively contributed to the Multicultural Associations of Pre-Health Students. After graduation, she enrolled in FSU’s post-baccalaureate Bridge program to secure a place in the M.D. Class of 2011.
She earned induction into both the Gold Humanism and Alpha Omega Alpha honor societies and received the college’s Outstanding Graduate in Family Medicine Award.
Charismatic and engaging, Dr. Edwards captivated the audience with tales about the origin of the white coat ceremony, peppering her speech with lighthearted anecdotes. She concluded her message with a more serious tone.
“There was a young woman caring for her father at his bedside after a three-week stay in the ICU. She observed a change in her father’s mental state from the previous day. The ICU doctors were alerted and assured her that he was fine, but she felt uneasy. After a few hours, she decided to check his temperature. Alarmed to find a 103-degree fever, she suspected bacterial meningitis stemming from a drain in his brain. This drain had been placed to alleviate blood accumulation after an unknown brain aneurysm caused pressure, leading to bleeding from a tangled mass of abnormal blood vessels known as an arteriovenous malformation, or AVM. The AVM resulted in a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which caused a severe headache and culminated in a 911 call made by the daughter, who was there caring for her father after a knee replacement. The daughter who trained at the FSU College of Medicine. That daughter is me.
“One year ago, this frightening situation unfolded, and I am thankful for the medical knowledge I had that enabled me to assist in my father’s care—he is alive and well today.
“So, I urge all of you: Aspire to new heights. Study wisely. Study diligently. Study as if the life of someone you cherish depends on it, for that may very well be the reality. Make us proud. Wear that white coat. Play the part.”
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