First year medical students from Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, a national medical school, took part in the annual Stethoscope Ceremony on Saturday November 5 on the Arizona Campus.

Fifty students put a stethoscope around their necks for the first time in this traditional ceremony (some medical schools call it the White Coat Ceremony and students put on the physician’s coat for the first time). This marks the students’ induction into the profession and the beginning of their journey as a physician. 

“There are few symbols that are more associated with the physician than the stethoscope,” Amit Shah, M.D., associate dean for academic affairs at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine said. “I hope it provides you the superpowers of connection-- a connection to the alumni of this school, a connection to the past, a connection to your patient, and a connection to the ritual of medicine. I hope that by putting it on today, you feel even more that you belong to this profession and the rituals of the art of medicine.”  

Addressing the students, Michele Halyard, M.D. vice dean of Education and dean of the Arizona campus said, “I challenge you to remember that in that moment of placing the stethoscope on a patient’s heart, or in listening to their lungs, you are engaging in an act in which they allow you into their personal space, to touch their body, to listen to their very being.  Treat that with the respect that it deserves.

Students also recited the Mayo Physician Pledge for the first time with Fredric Meyer, M.D., Waugh Executive Dean of Education. “Over the next several years, you will achieve more than you thought possible, and we will support you through every step,” Dr. Meyer said. “The faculty are committed to your success.” 

Watch: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine students celebrate 2022 stethoscope ceremony

These students are part of an elite group, with only 1% of applicants being selected to attend Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. In addition to Arizona, the School has campuses in Minnesota and Florida, giving students the opportunity to learn from and train beside Mayo Clinic’s leading experts.  

Almost 200 loved ones were part of the ceremony and watched the class of 2026 receive their Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine stethoscopes. 

About Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine

Part of Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine is a national medical school with four-year medical degree programs in Minnesota and Arizona.

The school also offers a Florida program, enabling students to complete their first two years of medical studies in Arizona or Minnesota, and their final two years of learning in Florida. For more information, visit Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.

About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news and An Inside Look at Mayo Clinic for more information about Mayo.

Media contact:

Ashley Peck, Mayo Clinic Communications, 480-301-4167, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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