Students Recite Woke Pledge During White Coat Ceremony

The University of Minnesota Medical School (UMMS) class of 2026 recited an oath during the white coat ceremony that included references to anti-racism, climate advocacy, commitment toward indigenous ways of healing, and collaboration with political and social systems.

A handout provided at the ceremony indicated the oath was written by the oath writing committee {snip}

Students began the oath by stating, “Our institution is located on Dakota land…We commit to uprooting the legacy and perpetuation of structural violence deeply embedded within the health care system.”

“We recognize the inequities built by past and present traumas rooted in white supremacy, colonialism, the gender binary, ableism, and all other forms of oppression,” the oath continued.

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The medical students pledged “to honor all Indigenous ways of healing” that are “historically marginalized by Western medicine.”

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