The White Coat Ceremony cloaks PharmD students in unforgettable support from family, alumni, and friends as it welcomes them into the profession

By Logan Underwood

Before leaving for class every morning, Taylor Rough, a third-year PharmD student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy, looks at a note taped on her fridge. This heartfelt message from her father, Steve Rough (BS ’91, MS ’94), was placed inside the coat she received during her White Coat Ceremony as a first-year student. Years later, Rough still draws strength and inspiration from his words of love and support.

“It was really impactful knowing we’re in this together and I have someone in my corner who’s cheering me on,” Taylor Rough says.

This rite of passage has been a monumental moment for PharmD students at the School of Pharmacy for decades. The ceremony, which happens during the students’ first year in the PharmD program, serves as a welcome into the pharmacy profession and an acknowledgement of the commitment to a pharmacy education.

“The White Coat Ceremony helps you recognize that it’s more than a job — it’s a profession with incredible meaning,” says Steve Rough, who is now the CEO of Visante. “As a first-year PharmD student, the ceremony introduces you to a new community of people, most of whom are leaders in the profession, your future colleagues and mentors, and reinforces that feeling of commitment.”

The coats, provided to student pharmacists through support of alumni and donors, each include letters in their pockets, sharing excitement for the student’s future and the promise of what a pharmacy degree can achieve. The letters, contributed by alumni, can also be personalized to a particular student, as in Taylor’s case, allowing family members to provide their PharmD student with words of wisdom and encouragement.

“This is something we didn’t have when I was a student,” says Steve Rough. “And I think it’s a really good thing that brings the students meaning — it gives them purpose.”

A personal touch

Taylor Rough grew up surrounded by pharmacists. During his career at UW Health, Steve Rough led the combined Health System Pharmacy Administration residency and master’s degree program, offered in partnership with the School of Pharmacy, for 16 years. He often ended up bringing his daughter along to work-related social events and professional meetings, and although he never pressured her to enter the field of pharmacy, he was ecstatic when she entered the program.

He can now connect with her not just as a daughter, but as a colleague and peer. The opportunity to provide her coat and a personalized note for her to read during her White Coat ceremony allowed him to express how proud he was of Taylor and assure her that she has a strong foundation and skills to succeed.

“It was pretty emotional for me, and I just wanted to encourage her,” he says. “You have the skills, the ability, the attitude, the drive, and the talent to be very successful. You’re ready for this, and you’re going to make a difference for people throughout your career. I could have probably written five pages about how happy I was for her — it was an honor to get to do that.”

Many students get similar words of encouragement in their white coats. Apart from family members, professors, alumni, and preceptors often leave personalized messages. Besides writing a note for his daughter, Steve has also written several letters for students alongside his colleagues throughout his years as a preceptor.

“We volunteer to write letters for students because we want them to see that others have their backs through this journey,” he says.

First-year PharmD student John Vetterli felt this support after his mom sponsored his white coat during his White Coat Ceremony this September. At 38 years old, Vetterli is a nontraditional student. A California native, he spent four years working as a firefighter, emergency room technician, and paramedic in Illinois before deciding to follow his passion for pharmacy.

“It’s the coalescence of where a lot of my interests lie,” he says. “My mom was overjoyed. It was very sweet of her to sponsor my white coat, when it was such a momentous occasion.”

A medical assistant for over three decades, Vetterli’s mother encouraged a career in healthcare. She was excited to see that he was following her example to improve the health of the community and used her message to simply express her pride in him.

“I am thrilled to watch you as you move towards your goal as a pharmacy doctor,” she wrote. “I love you! Mom.”

While initially nervous about entering the School of Pharmacy at an age older than most of his peers, he quickly formed a community and tight bond with his cohort. Vetterli marks the White Coat Ceremony as the foundation of that support system.

“I’ve been a part of so many different things that have very little recognition, even for big transition moments,” Vetterli says. “So it’s really rewarding to get the acknowledgement through the White Coat Ceremony that we’ve already done a lot of work and put in a lot of effort, even though this is just the beginning.”

A ceremony of community

Initially, first-year PharmD student Dorothea Bedu wasn’t sure she wanted to go to her White Coat Ceremony. Originally from Ghana, Bedu’s family wouldn’t be able to come and support her. Besides, classes, exams, and studying were weighing heavy on her mind.

However, after a call to her family and advice from friends, she decided to go “all out” for the ceremony, and she was surprised at how much the ceremony ended up resonating with her.

“I was expecting it to be something where everyone just wears a white coat,” she says. “But it felt like we had been integrated into pharmacy for the very first time. It felt like you were now a part of something.”

Bedu says that she keeps her white coat hanging up in her bedroom as a reminder of the community and friendship she has at the School of Pharmacy.

Taylor Rough similarly credits the White Coat experience as part of her future success at the School of Pharmacy. She is preparing to enter the field of administrative pharmacy, like her father.

With big shoes to fill, Rough entered the School of Pharmacy with wavering self-confidence. However, after gathering with her cohort during the ceremony and receiving support from her father, she felt more confident in her ability to succeed in her future career.

“The white coat ceremony is so important for the beginning stages of feeling a sense of community and belonging,” Rough says.

Bedu echoes the sentiment, saying that even sitting among classmates she’s still getting to know, the group felt united.

“We were all sitting by each other, and we felt so proud of each other, even those I didn’t know — we were all there for each other,” she says. “It’s a big moment in our lives where step into something that we are yet to discover exactly what it looks like.”