ST. LOUIS — The Saint Louis University School of Medicine welcomes the next generation of physicians at its annual White Coat Ceremony. The ceremony is the official start of the journey of freshmen to the medical profession.
The ceremony took place on Sunday, July 31 at St. Francis Xavier College Church.
During the ceremony, incoming students from the School of Medicine are donned in their first white coat as a symbol of the trust bestowed upon them to continue the honorable tradition of doctoral studies.
Incoming Class of 2026
This year, the School of Medicine received 7,246 applications. A total of 791 students were interviewed and 180 students registered.
The Class of 2026 consists of 102 women and 78 men. The students come from all over the United States and the world. A total of 64 students are from Missouri, with another 41 from Illinois. Other states represented were California (16), Texas (7), Michigan (six), Wisconsin (four), Ohio (four), and Utah (four). Four students are international.
The age range for the class of 2026 is 21 to 35. The median age is 23. Most of the class, 91 students, is 22 years old.
Eleven of the students are first generation graduates. Nine students have a master’s degree and one has a doctorate. One student is from the US Naval Academy and another is from the US Marine Corps.
The students come to the School of Medicine from 82 undergraduate institutions. The class has medical scientists from SLU, St. Mary’s, Rockhurst and Drury.
The Class of 2026 speaks more than 25 languages. Overall, 73 percent of students can communicate in at least one other language, with 27 students fluent in one or more languages.
In total, the Class of 2026 has completed 143,104 hours of research and 91,744 hours of service.
A family tradition of service
Each student has a unique story of how they were brought to dedicate their lives to medicine. For Victoria Wittgen, inspiration started at home. The Boston College grad was disguised by her grandfather Edward Wittgen Jr., MD, (A&S ’54, GRAD MED ’58), and her mother, Catherine Wittgen, MD, (A&S ’81, GRAD MED ’85).
Victoria Wittgen has aspired to be a doctor since she was 16 and knew that SLU was where she wanted to be. At the time, she was a volunteer in the Ambulatory Care Unit and Post Anesthesia Care at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital.
“The moment she got her letter of acceptance from SLU, her face lit up,” Catherine Wittgen said of her daughter. “She was so happy.”
Victoria Wittgen was inspired by her family’s influence on the medical field and dedication to the profession and the patients they served.
“I was checking out in a shopping center and the cashier saw my name on my credit card. She asked, ‘Do you know an Edward Wittgen?’ I said, ‘Yes, that’s my grandfather!’ She said, ‘He saved my life when I was younger!’” Victoria Wittgen recalled her grandfather.
Victoria Wittgen describes her mother as a female pioneer in her field. Catherine Wittgen, a professor in the Department of Surgery at SLU’s School of Medicine, was the first female vascular fellow to receive training at Harvard. Catherine Wittgen is a SLUCare physician and chair of the medical staff at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital.
“My grandfather and mother are who I want to be,” said Victoria Wittgen.
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Founded in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school trains physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research and provides health care at the local, national and international levels. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: cancer, liver disease, heart/lung disease, aging and brain disease, and infectious diseases.