MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — West Virginia University honored more than 100 students with a White Coat Ceremony on Saturday as they prepare to take the next step in their medical studies.

WVU alumna and assistant professor, Kelley Gannon M.D., was the keynote speaker of the ceremony. Dr. Clay Marsh, Chancellor and Executive Dean of Health Sciences at WVU, expressed his pride in having so many students furthering their medical careers.

“If you look at these students, it’s really almost breathtaking to know that the 112 students that we have were selected from an application group of about 5,300, so these people are the creme de la creme,” Marsh said. “We want to make sure that they are really well trained and that they’re very well positioned, personally, to be able to care for people and also, make sure they care for themselves.”

Students received their white coats before reciting the Hippocratic Oath to mark the next chapter of their journeys.

The White Coat Ceremony is a tradition often held to celebrate student’s transition from the classroom to clinical curriculum, meaning students will now be moving into local medical facilities to continue their education. The students honored in the ceremony will graduate in 2026.