Pepi Dostal was inspired to enter medicine by his grandmother, a physician who cared for her village in the Czech Republic. Often paid with eggs or meat from her patients鈥� farms, she remains the village matriarch even after retirement.

鈥淚 saw what she means to her community,鈥� says Dostal, who comes to UCF from the 海角直播 of Washington. 鈥淎nd I wanted to do the same thing for my community.鈥�

Dostal was one of 120 new UCF College of Medicine students who received their white coats Monday in a traditional celebration that welcomes them as partners in healthcare.

Chosen from 5,422 applicants, the 120 new M.D. candidates received their undergraduate degrees from Yale, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Duke, Case Western and Emory in addition to UCF. They include scientists, artists, musicians, athletes, global volunteers and EMTs.

A group of students wearing white coats and posing for a photo
UCF’s M.D. Class of 2030 incudes scientists, community volunteers, first responders, athletes and artists.

Monday was the 18th White Coat Ceremony in the history of the medical school, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. In his welcome, UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright described 鈥渨hat began as a bold vision on undeveloped land in Lake Nona has grown into a thriving Academic Health Sciences Campus and a community focused on improving lives.鈥�

And he credited that growth to Deborah German, vice president for health affairs and founding dean, who has announced her transition from both those roles. Monday was her last White Coat Ceremony.

鈥淒r. German helped transform an ambitious vision into the college you join today,鈥� he told students, parents, faculty and staff. 鈥淏ecause of her leadership, hundreds of physicians have begun their careers here, thousands of patients have been served, and new partnerships, discoveries, and opportunities have taken shape across Lake Nona and our state. Dr. German, your remarkable legacy will always hold a special place at UCF.鈥�

The Good Doctor

For every White Coat Ceremony, German has conducted the first class of medical school called 鈥淭he Good Doctor 鈥� A UCF Tradition.鈥�

Dean Deborah German conducts the first class of medical school at UCF 鈥� The Good Doctor, a UCF Tradition.
Dean Deborah German conducts the first class of medical school at UCF 鈥� The Good Doctor, a UCF Tradition.

She asks first-year students to imagine the person they love most in the world is seriously ill with an undiagnosed condition. What are the traits they want to see in the doctor caring for their beloved? As students name attributes, German writes each word on a blackboard that is displayed in the College of Medicine atrium for the entire year.

The class of 2030 suggested 38 traits, including humble, trustworthy, dedicated, knowledgeable, ethical, determined, compassionate, resilient and innovative.

鈥淭his is your contract with your faculty, friends, family, community and each other,鈥� German said, pointing to the board. 鈥淎lways remember, The Good Doctor lives in each of you. With the guidance of the faculty and your own hard work, you will become The Good Doctor.鈥�

Nelson Jones with his family, including both parents who are nurses and inspired him to go into medicine.
Nelson Jones with his family, including both parents who are nurses and inspired him to go into medicine.

Inspired to Care for Others

As a UCF undergraduate, Nelson Jones earned the Order of Pegasus, the university鈥檚 top student honor. Today he is a physician-in-training. Both of his parents are nurses, and he described how their care of others 鈥� especially in communities of need 鈥� inspired him. So did the opportunities UCF provides.

鈥淚鈥檓 feeling extremely grateful and excited,鈥� he said after receiving his white coat. 鈥淭his university has built me into the person I am and will continue to build me into the physician I strive to become.鈥�

Vivian Silva-Dallenbach graduated from the 海角直播 of South Florida with degrees in biomedical sciences and astronomy. She chose UCF for medical school because of the college鈥檚 new aerospace medicine program. She鈥檚 researched how space flight affects the human body.

鈥淥nce I saw that UCF has an aerospace medicine program, I knew it was a match,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 particularly interested in women鈥檚 health and how we can provide specialized care for female astronauts.鈥�

Dev Patel, another UCF alum, says his dreams are inspired by the College of Medicine鈥檚 founding dean. 鈥淚 would like to take a page out of German鈥檚 book. She started with almost nothing to work with and she built something amazing here. So as we have such a long road in front of us, I鈥檓 hoping to follow in her footsteps and even have a fraction of the impact she did.鈥�