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The School of Medicine celebrated its first-year BIMS students at the UVA Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (BIMS) Lab Coat Ceremony on March 29. This event marks the transition to the next phase of their graduate careers when students embark upon their mentored research projects.

Family, friends, faculty, and staff gathered in McLeod Auditorium — and also remotely — to celebrate the 57 students who were recognized in the following disciplines: Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics (4), Biophysics and Physiology (9), Cell Biology (6), Experimental Pathology (5), Microbiology (16), Neuroscience (10), and Pharmacology (7). The class is 63% female and 26% of the total students are from underrepresented minorities (URM).

Each student received a personally embroidered lab coat as a gift from the UVA Medical Alumni Association. To highlight the critical role of mentorship in our programs, faculty mentors for each discipline coated their students.

We also recognized five Medical Scientist Training Program students who completed their pre-clinical medical school classes and their Step 1 exams and transitioned to their research labs to begin the PhD portion of their studies.

"In this room," said Dean Melina Kibbe, MD, Dean, UVA School of Medicine, "we are not only witnessing the donning of lab coats; we are witnessing the birth of future pioneers, innovators, and visionaries. Whether your passion lies in unraveling the complexities of certain disorders, creating innovative approaches to detect or diagnose disease, or developing life-saving treatments to cure disease … know that the world eagerly awaits your contributions."

In addition to Dean Kibbe, speakers included Janet V. Cross, PhD, Associate Dean for Graduate and Medical Scientist Programs; Barry Collins, Associate Dean for Medical Alumni Affairs and Executive Director of the UVA Medical Alumni Association and Medical School Foundation; and Adrian Halme, PhD, Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Assistant Dean for Graduate Research Training.

Following the ceremony, the students, families, mentors, and other guests enjoyed a reception. Congratulations to all!