A Raconteur of a Certain Age Presents Her Thoughts on The Symbolism of the Physician’s White Coat

Keynote Remarks at the 2026 MU School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony

Abstract

Dr. Jane Knapp presented the keynote address for the 2026 White Coat Ceremony hosted by the University of Missouri School of Medicine on July 31^st, 2026. Each year, the newly admitted cohort of medical students are presented with a MU-branded white coat by School of Medicine leadership, and swear to honor the Declaration of Geneva, a modern version of the Hippocratic Oath.

In her keynote speech, Dr. Knapp discusses the symbol of the physician’s white coat, and the responsibilities each medical student carries when they wear it.