A record number of 141 incoming students took part in the Renaissance School of Medicine’s (RSOM) White Coat Ceremony at Stony Brook University on August 8. The event, held at the Staller Center, marks the beginning of their medical training.
White Coat Ceremonies are a tradition at many medical schools across the country, serving as an initiation rite that represents professionalism and compassionate care. RSOM has held its ceremony annually since 1998.
Only seven percent of applicants were admitted to RSOM for the 2025-26 academic year, according to school administrators. The class includes graduates from 61 different universities nationwide, with Stony Brook University being the most represented; nineteen students earned undergraduate or master’s degrees from there. The median undergraduate GPA for the class is 3.89 out of 4.00.
“Today we celebrate the members of the Entering Class of 2025 as they begin their journey to becoming doctors, and we are delighted that you have decided to pursue your education at the Renaissance School of Medicine, the top-ranked public medical school by NIH funding in New York State,” said Peter Igarashi, MD, Knapp Dean of RSOM.
Igarashi also noted that over one-third of this year’s class are first-generation college graduates: “Think about that: more than one-third of this year’s incoming students are first-generation college graduates beginning medical school. What a remarkable achievement.”
Most students (86 percent) come from New York State, with over a third from Long Island. The remainder come from 11 other states or countries. Women make up 66 percent of the class.
The new cohort begins their studies during a time when medicine is changing due to scientific advances and new technologies such as telemedicine and artificial intelligence.
