The Next Generation of Physicians Dons the White Coat

Donning a white coat for the first time is a milestone in every medical student’s journey. When a family member and future colleague helps them into that coat, the tradition takes on an even greater meaning. 

“Both of my parents completed their MD training and their residencies here,” said Celia Laplace, a first-year medical student, “so it's really special to be in the same spot where they started their journey to becoming physicians and share this milestone with them.” 

Nearly 20 families participated in the annual White Coat Ceremony for Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University. They placed coats on their children, siblings and grandchildren, carrying on a decades-long legacy.  

Born and raised in Norfolk, Celia is the daughter of Lea Laplace, MD (MD ’98, Internal Medicine Residency ’01), and Peter Laplace, MD (MD ’99, Internal Medicine Residency ’02), both assistant professors in the Department of Medicine. 

Coming from a family of physicians, including her grandparents who emigrated from the Philippines and practiced medicine in Norfolk, Celia always knew she wanted to serve patients as a physician one day. 

“My journey to medical school was fairly straight-forward,” she said. “It was hard work, but it was worth it to be here in the end. I’m so excited to be back in my hometown and train in my community.” 

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Connecting With the Community 

The White Coat Ceremony is a time-honored tradition for medical schools, designed to highlight the significance of the work the incoming class of students will engage in, and affirms the core values of medicine: professionalism, integrity, compassion, empathy and dedication. 

In his remarks, keynote speaker Tyler Simpson, MD (MD ’18), an acute care surgeon who recently joined the faculty of Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University, urged the students to remember that medicine extends far beyond the individual patient — it exists within the interconnected ecosystem of families, stories and communities. 

“As physicians, we talk a lot about excellence. We strive for excellence in anatomy, in clinical acumen and in technical skills. And, we should — our patients’ lives depend on it,” he said. “But, excellence alone has never been enough. The best physicians know their communities and understand the people they serve.” 

“Community is not simply something Eastern Virginia Medical School serves,” he continued, “it is a core value of the institution and an essential part of how its students are taught to understand and care for their patients.” 

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More Than a White Coat 

This year, the students’ white coats were provided as part of the inaugural White Coat Champions program, a growing philanthropic tradition among the nation’s medical schools to welcome the incoming class. In addition to the coats, the program will fund multiple scholarships for the students, showcasing community support at the very beginning of their medical careers.  

“More than 120 donors joined to welcome this class and invest in the physicians they will become,” said Judette Louis, MD, M.P.H., dean of Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University, during her remarks at the ceremony. “Before you've cared for your first patient, before you’ve written your first prescription or performed your first procedure, this community has shown they believe in you.” 

For Celia, donning her white coat for the first time was a surreal and humbling experience. 

“Knowing that a donor supported my first white coat is such a great feeling,” she said. “To know that someone from the community believed in us and was able to help support this really special milestone is amazing.”  

View the full MD White Coat Ceremony photo gallery. Learn more about investing in the next generation of medical practitioners