Lincoln Memorial University marked a milestone for second year medical students in its DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) during the White Coat ceremonies held March 28, 2026, in Knoxville and Harrogate, Tennessee. The Knoxville ceremony formally welcomed 196 students, and another 204 students participated in the Harrogate ceremony as they begin the next phase of their professional training. The White Coat ceremony symbolizes the transition from classroom learning to patient-focused practice.
For the students, the white coat represents both achievement and responsibility. LMU-DCOM students are preparing for careers as osteopathic physicians following a curriculum designed to provide early clinical exposure, practical experience, and a clear pathway into a profession in high demand across the nation.
In Harrogate, the ceremony featured remarks from the 2028 class president, Grayson Dickens, and keynote speaker Dr. Mark Browne, senior associate dean of clinical affairs and graduate medical education. In Knoxville, speakers included 2028 class president Abdullah Salim as well as keynote speaker Dr. Justin McGoldrick, enterprise vice president of medical affairs for Covenant Health.
“It’s certainly been nothing short of a struggle to get to today, but it’s also been a privilege. As we transition into this next phase of our medical education, we are presented with a new and greater privilege,” said Dickens. “Soon we, receiving our white coats today, will go out into hospitals and have that privilege of being the light on someone’s darkest day. Maybe not immediately, but sometime soon we may be what stands between life and death for a child. We may help a grandparent fight an illness and give them more time to see their grandchildren grow up. We may be the calm presence that eases the mind of a new parent as they welcome their first child into life or be the steady support that grants someone the dignity of leaving this world surrounded by the people who love them most. And what an awesome, sacred, and profound privilege it is to have the opportunity to be those people.”
The DO program is offered at LMU-DCOM locations in Knoxville, Tennessee; Harrogate, Tennessee; and Orange Park, Florida, connecting students to a broad network of clinical training sites across the region. Through these partnerships, students gain hands-on experience in hospitals, clinics and community-based settings while supporting LMU-DCOM’s mission to expand access to care, particularly in underserved areas.
During the ceremony, students recited a professional oath affirming their commitment to ethical practice, lifelong learning and service. Each student was then individually coated, marking their official entry into the clinical phase of the program.
Graduates of LMU-DCOM go on to practice across the country, contributing to health care fields where demand continues to grow. The white coat ceremony serves as an early marker in that journey, recognizing both the rigor ahead and the responsibility they carry as future physicians.
Live stream on demand: View Here
Photo galleries: Knoxville; Harrogate
Digital event program: Knoxville; Harrogate
About LMU-DCOM
The DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine is located on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, and at LMU-Knoxville in Knoxville, Tennessee. LMU-DCOM is an integral part of LMU’s values-based learning community and is dedicated to preparing the next generation of osteopathic physicians to provide health care in the often-underserved region of Appalachia and beyond. For more information about LMU-DCOM, call 1.800.325.0900, ext. 7082, email dcom@LMUnet.edu, or visit us online at http://med.LMUnet.edu.
