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Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine students participate in Stethoscope Ceremony: A promise of compassion, service and lifelong learning
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First-year students at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Arizona and Rochester participated in stethoscope ceremonies this fall.
The stethoscope ceremony marks more than the beginning of medical training; it recognizes each student's commitment to the heart of medicine. The simple device of the stethoscope, unchanged for more than a century, has been used across generations to listen to patients and understand their stories. It is both a tool of the profession and a symbol of a physician's responsibility.
Many medical schools in the U.S. celebrate a "White Coat Ceremony," where students put on white laboratory coats for the first time. Mayo Clinic holds a Stethoscope Ceremony instead since Mayo physicians do not wear white coats. The custom stems from the Mayo brothers' belief that white coats create barriers between medical professionals and patients. Instead, Mayo physicians dress in business attire to help them form better connections with their patients and create mutual respect.
During the ceremony, as each student receives a stethoscope, they also accept the responsibility and the privilege of caring for others.
Medical school leaders shared their thoughts on what the stethoscope means to them:
Compassion is the pulse that sustains the medical profession and is a primary Mayo Clinic value. Jewel M. Kling, M.D., M.P.H., Suzanne Hanson Poole Dean, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine – Arizona Campus shared, "To me, my stethoscope isn't just for hearing the heart or lungs. It's a symbol of how I show up with the intention to listen fully to my patient. It serves as a bridge. To help me hear what they're saying — and what they're not." Healing begins when physicians attend to their patients' stories with empathy and humility.
Service is a cornerstone of medicine, which is an act of service to humanity. Jesse Bracamonte, D.O., George M. and Kristen L. Lund Associate Dean for Student Affairs at the medical school's Arizona Campus, told students at the ceremony that the stethoscope embodies the core values of Mayo Clinic. "I've learned to understand the true meaning of the stethoscope along my journey from several profound moments of service. Remember that the stethoscope isn't just a tool; it's a symbol of your commitment to care for others, to listen closely and to be present in the most profound moments of human life." Whether in a high-tech operating room or a rural clinic, our efforts extend beyond the individual, rippling into families, communities and generations.
Lifelong learning is the thread that connects compassion and service. Fredric Meyer, M.D., dean of Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and Waugh Executive Dean of Education, said, "Our responsibility is to prepare you with a keen sense of curiosity, adaptability and a desire for lifelong learning. These qualities will empower you to address the evolving needs of healthcare, to lead with innovation and to find solutions to the most complex problems our patients and health systems face." Lifelong learning means more than keeping up with textbooks or journal articles. It means remaining open to lessons taught by patients, colleagues and experience itself. The best physicians are perpetual students, guided by both science and humanity.
The Stethoscope Ceremony is sponsored by the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association, which helps students forge valuable relationships and mentorships with Mayo alumni. More than 34,000 alumni are located in 50 U.S. states and 83 countries worldwide. Every medical student is now a full member of the Alumni Association.
About Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine is a national medical school with four-year medical degree programs in Rochester 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.
