Page 17 - Boca Exposure - September '23

Boca Exposure, Page 17
13th Annual White Coats-4-Care Fundraiser Raises Scholarship

Funds For FAU Schmidt College Of Medicine

Driven by heightened donor generosity,
commitment to educational advancement and the
community’s embrace, the 13th Annual White
Coats-4-Care major scholarship fundraiser bestowed
a warm welcome to 80 students enrolled in this
year’s new class at Florida Atlantic University’s
Schmidt College of Medicine.
Once again, civic and business leaders, healthcare
professionals and community advocates joined
in deep commitment to growing a strong, vital
healthcare community. By helping to “dress and
equip” each incoming class of medical students,
the White Coats campaign helps the college attract,
recruit, train and educate the next generation of (From left) White Coat Society Donor
humanistic clinicians and scientists – doctors who Diane Frank (left) and Senior Associate
care and cure in this community. Dean for Student Affairs and Associate
“Each year this initiative gets more and more Professor Jennifer Caceres, M.D., FACP
meaningful, as we have now clothed 868 students in (right) with second-year CoM students who
their first white coats and provided more than $2.4 spoke at the reception 2023 White Coats-4-Care Committee
million in support for students and programming
since its inaugural year,” shared Cochair Bonnie Kaye, who Other students in the class attended such undergraduate Dean Dr. Curtis L. Whitehair confirmed that community-
with her husband and Kaye Communications PR & Marketing institutions as Cornell University, Duke University, based initiatives such as White Coats that unite students
partner Jon Kaye, has created and cochaired this event for 13 George Washington University, Vanderbilt University, and faculty with businesses, the healthcare community
consecutive years since its inception. Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, University and neighbors have been critical to the college. He
The college’s 13th class of new medical students was selected of Notre Dame, Boston College, University of North emphasized, “When each of us succeeds, our collective
based on both their academic accomplishments and humanistic Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Michigan-Ann power becomes an unstoppable force, propelling us
attributes, and their dedication to community remains at the Arbor, University of California-Los Angeles and Berkeley, beyond ‘what we can do’ and into the excitement of ‘what
forefront of FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine. During the and University of Southern California. more we can achieve.’”
traditional White Coat Ceremony, the students received their With the average cost of medical education reaching White Coats-4-Care cochairs are supported by a
white coats, which represent integrity, compassion and trust and $250,000 in-state to $400,000 out-of-state, 80 to 85 percent dedicated committee, including Patricia Anastasio, M.D.
symbolizes their shared commitment to serve patients and their of the college’s talented students require financial assistance. and Thomas Mersch, Esq.; Melissa Azrack; Florida State
own oath (code of conduct) that they recited in unison and will Heavy debt often impacts both a student’s choice of medical Senator Lori Berman and Jeffrey Ganeles, D.M.D.;
follow throughout medical school and when they are physicians. school, as well as their medical specialty based on its income Alisa Cohen and G. Richard Cohen, M.D.; Phyllis and
The incoming class has a cumulative GPA of 3.81 and potential to repay loans. Michael T.B. Dennis, M.D.; Joanna Drowos, D.O. and
an average MCAT score of 516, which is above the national “Scholarship monies raised through the annual White Bryan Drowos; Beth Elgort; Beth and Kenneth Garrod,
average. Most of the major colleges in Florida are represented Coats-4-Care initiative give students the ability to follow M.D.; June Gelb; Emily and Stephen A. Grabelsky, M.D.;
(University of Florida, Florida State University, University their hearts, not their debts, into lifelong medical careers,” Bonnie Halperin; Arlene Herson; Allen B. Konis, D.D.S.;
of Miami, Florida International University, University of noted Cochair Jon Kaye. “Since the inaugural reception, Jaclyn Klimczak, M.D.; Deborah Leising; Jennifer and
Central Florida and University of South Florida), including White Coats-4-Care has helped advance the college’s Gary Lesser; Natalia Margolis; Elizabeth and Stuart
several students who completed their undergraduate degrees ultimate goal of ‘doctors without debt.’”
at Florida Atlantic University. During his remarks, Interim College of Medicine 13th Annual White Coats-4-Care Fundraiser on page 18