Knowing, knowing how to do, knowing how to be: with the white coat towards the future

“This ceremony is a fundamental moment for you and for the entire community, University and hospital, of the See of Rome” ‒ concluded H.E. Monsignor Claudio Giuliodori, General Ecclesiastical Assistant of Università Cattolica, before blessing the new white coats and the new student pathway ‒ “This white coat reveals an identity and defines a mission: it is even more characterised today in the Jubilee year, which provides for special attention to the sick. A year in which humanity is questioning the direction of its own journey, of which you are the first protagonists as true signs and faces of hope for all, especially for the most fragile and needy”.

In the name of all their colleagues, seated in the stalls to form the new white choreography, third-year students Giuseppe Briscese, Francesca De Marco, Tommaso Giambattista, Serena Telesca, Beatrice Nervoso and Marco Trapasso, wore in unison with everyone the new white coat handed over by the professors, in an ideal future passing of the baton. Dressed like this, the future doctors will in a few months’ time descend from the first places on Campus to the wards of the Policlinico Universitario "Agostino Gemelli" IRCCS, where for the first time they will begin to really meet the sick and, together with them, learn the methods of care together with the looks, gestures and words of care.

At the end of the ceremony, four sixth-year students, Damiana Belcastro, Valeria Conti, Caterina Mariotti and Antonio Palmieri, soon to graduate, led the choral recitation of the Hippocratic Oath, with those phrases that for millennia have represented not only indications and rules, but above all that “knowing how to be” that actually founds and continuously accompanies the previous knowledge mentioned in the title of the speech and of this page ‒ knowledge, action, humanity ‒ and that constitutes the essence of the integral and human training, not only scientific and clinical, of every student of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.

The students' words: the white coat as a promise of care and dedication to each person

During the ceremony, three students from the Degree Programme of Medicine and Surgery addressed words of encouragement, gratitude and testimony to their colleagues.

“Today we are celebrating not only the entrance into a path of responsibility, but the beginning of a commitment that will last a lifetime” ‒ began Michela Myriam De Maio, a sixth-year student ‒ “The white coat you have received is not just a garment, but the symbol of the choice you made three years ago, a courageous choice, perhaps the most courageous of all. At the time, you may not have been fully aware of the sacrifices and responsibilities of this path, but today, by wearing it, you confirm that choice with greater awareness. Today, you are no longer just students: by choosing to wear this white coat, you vow yourself to a mission made up of study, dedication and sacrifice, but also of immense satisfaction. You accept the burdens and honours of the medical profession, the weight of the trust that patients place in you and the privilege of being able to make a difference in their lives. Wearing it is more than a gesture: it is a promise. A promise of care, of respect and commitment to each person who will entrust their health to you. So, it is time to recognise what we have received and to turn our thoughts to what lies ahead”.

“Thank you” ‒ said Federica Finetti, a fourth-year student ‒ “Thank you, to those who have supported us in difficult times, reminding us of the meaning of this choice, believing in us even when we ourselves faltered. Thank you, to our families, for raising us with love, patience and the courage to teach us to pursue our dreams, even when they seem uphill. Thank you, to those who teach us, with commitment and passion, to develop the skills we need to face the challenges ahead, and to be resilient in difficult times. Thank you, to our colleagues, companions in good times and bad, in difficulties and moments of frustration, but also in laughter and mutual support, especially in the same mission. Thank you, to those who taught us that being a doctor means first and foremost being present. To the patients, whose courage shows us every day the true meaning of this profession. To this white coat, which is not just a symbol, but a promise of dedication, care and responsibility, humanity, outstretched hands, of lives saved, sometimes lost. Thank you, to us, for never ceasing to choose this life, for the strength with which we have overcome every obstacle, for the patience we have learnt, and for the courage to continue to grow”.

And finally, Giuseppe Briscese, representing all the third-year students, the protagonists of the day, echoed his colleague with a word that is above all a verb, important for everyone’s future: “I pray” ‒ he replied ‒ “that we never forget the profound meaning of this choice, even when the path is difficult. I pray that we face each challenge with the same determination that has brought us this far, without ever losing sight of humility. I pray that we will always be ready to listen, to understand, to be there for those who ask us for help, remembering that true strength lies in being human before knowledge. I pray to be, for our patients, a point of reference of hope, a concrete help in every moment of difficulty. I pray that we never stop growing, learning, putting ourselves on the line, even when the road seems most difficult. I pray that we carry with us, every day, the passion and courage that make us be here today. I pray that we are always worthy of this white coat, with the knowledge that our commitment today is only the beginning of a life of care, sacrifice and responsibility. I pray that we look forward, with the same enthusiasm that accompanies us today, ready to face what the future holds”.