RU Students Receive White Coats at In-Person Event Post Pandemic

Written By: Alessandra Izaguirre

Rutgers School of Health Professions Doctor of Physical Therapy program (DPT) held a pinning ceremony for 67 students on Monday, June 21, the school’s first in-person event since the start of the pandemic.

The annual ceremony celebrated students of the Class of 2022 as they begin a full year of supervised clinical practice and end their didactic learning. The pandemic had forced postponement of the pinning for a year.

The next step for the students will be to participate in supervised clinical practice in physical therapy facilities all over the United States.

Held in-person for students and faculty, the ceremony was also viewed by hundreds of well-wishers via Zoom, who saw each student receive their white coats and pins in honor of reaching this milestone. The white coat has the program name on the right and the student’s name on the left, while the pin has the program name and Rutgers Shield.

Dr. Kelly Moore, a 2021 graduate of the DPT program, was one of this year’s keynote speakers. She shared her clinical experiences, reassuring the class that they are ready to enter clinicals and should embrace every opportunity to improve even when it might be very challenging.

“Every clinical setting will surprise you, and you will surprise yourself with all that you know and all that you will learn. When you take these difficult situations and mold them into your own experiences with positive outlooks, you can continue making new opportunities to grow, learn, and challenge yourself, and that’s what clinicals are all about,” said Dr. Moore.

Dr. Nancy Kirsch, professor and program director of the DPT program, and fellow faculty members were proud and happy that their students had the opportunity to celebrate in-person.

“The faculty and students were absolutely thrilled to be able to celebrate this important landmark in their educational journey in person. The Class of 2022 has been resilient, resourceful, and passionate about their PT education. This in-person event was a tribute to their dedication individually and as a class, marking the next step on their professional development,” said Dr. Kirsch.

A division of the New Brunswick-based Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, the School of Health Professions provides education for both entry-level health professionals and practicing health providers seeking specialty and advanced degrees.

The school opened in Newark in 1976 as the College of Medicine and Dentistry – School of Allied Health Professions, with 11 certificate programs. It has grown into the largest, leading health professions school in the country, with more than 30 programs at locations in Newark, Piscataway, and Blackwood, and also has a significant distance-learning population. Merging with Rutgers in 2013, the school serves approximately 1,400 students.