MSU-Meridian Inaugural White Coat Ceremony

MSU-Meridian held its physician assistant white coat ceremony over the weekend. The class of 19 students became the inaugural class to receive their coats.

After countless hours and long nights of studying and preparing, 19 students shared an emotional moment together when they were finally white coated.

One of the students, Pamela Vayda, is excited to now be a part of the solution in the health care world:

“This class has really come together to study hard and to understand disease processes”, said Vayda. “In all actuality, our whole goal is to really help change the health care problems that are in our state.”

The class was the first for MSU-Meridian’s physician assistant (PA) program, Cody Guidry says he believes his class has made an imprint on the program for years to come.

“We had a lot of challenges, being the first class, but we also had a lot of working together a lot of figuring out. A lot of it just means so much, we left an impact on this program whether it be for better or for worst”, explained Cody,

The Interim Program Director James R. Kilgore says that the ceremony was not only important for the student's careers but also for the health care community.

“We are launching out a new group of health care providers, who for the next two years will be taking care of patients before they receive their full license”, said Director Kilgore. “So yes first-class, Mississippi State is very proud of them, and I know the state of Mississippi really needs them and we are working as hard as we can to get them out into the communities.”

The program is continuing. The second class is in the process of receiving their white coats.

“We get to set the foot hole for all those to come. The second class that is here already and the future classes to be here”, said PA student, Cody Guidry. “It’s just a huge impact and hopefully, we can show off what Mississippi State has taught us and from there we can show that this is a program to be respected. A program that will produce a lot of providers that will do a lot of good for the community.”

The newly white-coated students begin clinical on March 14th.