White Coat Ceremony signals transition to clinical practice for LMP students

“I’d like to share that I am an IVF baby. For most of my life, I thought that was simply an interesting fact about myself. But after learning the history and the science behind it, it has come to mean so much more. It reflects decades of scientific innovation, ethical discussion, and perseverance in the face of uncertainty. It represents the clinicians, researchers, and embryologists whose work made my life possible and the lives of many IVF children today. And it has given me a profound appreciation for how science can shape an individual's, and family’s life.

My personal connection to the field began long before I was even born but my academic interest didn’t begin until my third year of undergrad. I took a course called, Reproduction: Development and Function. This class deepened my curiosity about reproductive medicine. As we learned about fertility processes and infertility, as well as assisted reproductive technologies, I began to connect the science we were studying with my own family’s story.

What struck me most was the way challenges of infertility have been met with scientific persistence and creativity - these breakthroughs did not happen overnight. They required determination, relentless trial and error, and the willingness of researchers, clinicians, embryologists and patients across the world to keep pushing forward despite the uncertainty and the failure. 

The first IVF baby was born in 1978. When we talk about the history of IVF, we often hear about the obstetrician Dr. Patrick Steptoe and the physiologist Dr. Robert Edwards, who later received the Nobel Prize for IVF. Yet behind those names is someone whose contributions were just as essential: Jean Purdy. She was one of the world's first embryologists, whose meticulous work in the lab helped make their breakthroughs possible, though her contributions were not always fully recognized at the time, as was the case for many others who worked behind the scenes. 

Much of the work of embryologists happens quietly behind the scenes. Patients may never meet us and the public might not know our names, but the work we do matters profoundly. It is careful, it is precise, and it is deeply human. 

Soon we will step into the roles that pioneers like Jean Purdy helped to define. Today, with our white coats, we inherit the responsibility carried by generations of embryologists who have advanced this field with both scientific rigor and compassion. We are incredibly fortunate to be learning from many individuals: our mentors, instructors, and clinicians, who continue to move this field forward every day. 

This program has not only given us the opportunity to learn from leading physicians and scientists, but also from each other. Through classroom discussions, shared research efforts for collaborative assignments and presentations, we are constantly exposed to new perspectives and ideas that challenge and expand our thinking. Each of us brings our own experiences, our own interests, and our own questions into this space, and that diversity strengthens how we learn. From Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Calgary, and Toronto, that is something very special. 

As we look ahead to beginning our capstone projects and clinical placements, we are especially excited to contribute our own work to the field, building on what we have learned and, in our own ways, adding to the future of reproductive medicine.”

“When I was 15 years old, I held a human heart for the first time. I remember going home to my parents and gushing about the experience. About how an entire 9 meter tube was squished into our body, how the green colour of the gallbladder matched the same green we see in textbooks, about how snug the human brain had fit into the palm of my hands, and how vast the spaces were in a brain with Alzheimer's. I realized then, how fragile all of it truly was. This moment was what drew me to human medicine, and to the field I will soon be practising in.

The Pathologists’ Assistant field felt like finding a needle in a haystack - a specialty of health care so niche, however so incredibly important. Pathologists’ Assistants are not well known, but from what I have seen, recognition is not what we strive for. Instead, we are vital to upholding the foundations of clinical care, tucked away at a bench, working quietly towards ensuring accurate diagnosis is met. While we might never encounter the patient themselves, in our hands is a vital piece of them - an uncertain piece of their past and a transformative piece of their future. It holds tremendous significance to be entrusted with this task and today marks that reminder, that this trust should never be broken.

LMP has given us valuable insights and skills we need to not only be knowledgeable, but analytical health care professionals. Although being able to name organs and diseases is necessary, the program took it further by making us reflective: to critically question everything we read, to actively communicate our thoughts and opinions, and to be ethically grounded and empathetic. At the University of Toronto, we are all grateful to be partaking in an education that cares about progression, innovation and reflection, all of which are valuable in improving patient outcomes. We have also learned much from each other and made lifelong friendships.

We give thanks to our families, friends, colleagues, professors, and faculty who are here to celebrate this transitional moment of our lives. I would also like to take a moment to offer my respects to Dr. Avrum Gotlieb, who built and set the foundation for this program. Although our time with him was short, he offered great insight to his areas of expertise, his experiences in creating the program, and also genuine a connection with each one of us. His passion stuck with us, and he will be dearly missed.

This next chapter of our education in practicums will be exciting. Whether it be in an autopsy suite or grossing bench, the opportunities we will be granted will be exceptional.

As we wear our white coats today, let it be a reminder that what we do is important to saving human lives. That although the patient doesn't know us, the silent trust is still upheld by our work to treat them. That every specimen and tissue we handle is delicate and requires the utmost respect, and that above all, we are professionals who serve humanity.”

Students receiving their White Coats in 2026