On October 10, 2025, the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine’s Class of 2029 gathered at the historic Ira Allen Chapel at the University of Vermont to be presented with their first white coats. The annual white coat ceremony is a tradition at U.S. medical schools that marks the official entry of new students into the medical profession, acknowledging the responsibilities and ethical commitment that come with wearing the physician’s iconic white coat.
Larner’s Class of 2029 represents a diverse group of individuals from across the country and around the world, each with their own unique journey and inspiration in their pursuit of a career in medicine.
Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Christa Zehle, M.D.’99, welcomed the students and an audience of more than 600 attendees, which included the students’ families, loved ones, mentors, and Larner faculty and staff. Larner Dean and UVM Chief Medical Affairs Officer Richard L. Page, M.D., UVM Medical Center President and Chief Operating Officer and Professor of Emergency Medicine Stephen Leffler, M.D., and UVM President Marlene Tromp, Ph.D., shared their reflections.
“At UVM and in the College of Medicine,” Dr. Tromp said, “we believe in the remarkable transformative power of both education and health care to change and improve lives by preparing future physicians with an understanding of medical science but also a deep sense of the role of compassion.”
In the ceremony’s “Humanism in Medicine” keynote address, speaker Lee-Anna Burgess, M.D., associate professor of medicine in the Larner College of Medicine’s Division of Hospital Medicine, said, “This career can feel especially challenging as the tenets of science and investment in public health are undermined. But I am inspired by you all in this room. The diversity of experience and expertise you will bring to the field of medicine—at the bedside, in the operating room, in your communities, as educators, as policymakers, and as national and international leaders—is inspiring; and each is as important as the next. I hope you can appreciate the opportunity and calling you have before you. You have never been more needed as a voice of compassion and reason.”
Dr. Burgess’s speech closed with a tribute to the power of empathy, science, and stewardship, invoking the legacy of pioneering anthropologist Jane Goodall and celebrating the achievements of alumni like NASA astronaut candidate Dr. Imelda Muller, who exemplify the boundless possibilities of a physician’s journey—even reaching the stars.
During the white coat ceremony, each student stepped forward one by one to receive their white coat, symbolically marking the beginning of their medical journey. Inside every coat pocket was a “White Coat Note”—a personal invitation from the Larner College of Medicine Alumni Association to join UVM Connect, a dynamic online platform where students can connect with medical alumni who are eager to offer mentorship and career guidance. Dean Page then guided the students in reciting a modified version of the Oath of Lasagna, which includes the words: “I will practice medicine with conscience and dignity ... I will respect the privacy of my patients and not judge them ... I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.”
Who Are Larner’s Newest Future Doctors?
The 124 members of the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine’s Class of 2029 began their medical school journey on August 11, 2025, and are now more than halfway through their first semester of medical school. The students come from all over the country and the globe—such as Barbados, China, and India—each with their own unique story that led them to pursue medicine.
Anna Paritsky is a first-generation college student who first moved to Vermont in 2014 to study neuroscience at Middlebury College. After graduation she traveled the world and worked as a horse packer, educator, and sailor. While raising sails and teaching kids about watershed science, she realized that home, and her heart, were back in Vermont. Paritsky returned in 2019 and was working in poverty relief and food insecurity. During the early COVID-19 pandemic, she signed up for an EMT class on a whim and quickly discovered a passion for medicine.
Her time as a volunteer EMT in rural Vermont and as a scribe at a community health clinic allowed her to follow patients through the health care system, from medical emergencies in their home to hospital visits to long-term care planning with their PCP. Her work in medical transport coordination gave her an appreciation for the systems, teams, and infrastructure needed to care for patients in our rural communities. Through these experiences Paritsky has learned a lot about the community she hopes to serve and the physician she wants to become.
Paritsky chose the Larner College of Medicine for its emphasis on community and teamwork.
“I see the white coat ceremony as a chance to formally mark the start of the 2029 cohort community and celebrate the journey we will walk together,” Paritsky said.
Meelad Karami grew up in Seattle, born to Iranian immigrants. His mother was a nurse and he often spent his time after elementary school at her workplace. Seeing her dedication as she served her patients was his initial catalyst to pursue medicine.
Upon graduation, he went back to that very nursing facility where his mother used to work, this time as a nursing assistant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Helping out his local community during this trying time was a full-circle moment for him, and he knew from then on that he wanted to pursue medicine as a physician.
“We all come from diverse backgrounds with our own experiences that shape our world view,” said Karami. “I was a little nervous about moving across the country, but once we arrived and had our first few days, I felt so supported by the tremendous community at Larner. I feel at home already.”
William Ung grew up in Long Beach, California, after his family had narrowly escaped the Khmer Rouge. Raised in an immigrant household by his mother and grandmother, he witnessed firsthand how cultural and financial barriers create obstacles to care. These experiences shaped Ung’s commitment to pursue medicine and bridge the gaps that often prevent people from receiving the treatment they need.
As a first-generation Cambodian American and college student, he carried this commitment overseas volunteering in rural clinics in Cambodia.
“Meeting patients who had traveled hundreds of miles to receive basic care reminded me of the resilience of my own family and the urgent need for culturally sensitive health care,” he said. “Attending the Larner College of Medicine has given me the opportunity to continue honoring the sacrifices my family has made as I continue on my pursuit towards becoming a physician rooted in humility, compassion, and respect for those I serve.”