White Coat Ceremony

 

UNT Health White Coat Ceremony

With a grant from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation of New York, UNT Health began the celebration of a White Coat Ceremony in August of 1996. The White Coat Ceremony is a “rite of passage” for health science center students that encourages a psychological contract for professionalism and empathy. The event emphasizes the importance of the foundational mission of the institution: education, research, patient care and service.

The ceremonies takes place at the Bass Performance Hall in front of family, friends and selected faculty. The incoming students are welcomed by the President, Provost and Deans and will be addressed by an eminent professional role model. The students are then presented, “cloaked,” with their first white coats symbolizing the mantle of their chosen profession. Students swear a professional oath before the assembled group, publicly acknowledging their new responsibilities and their willingness to assume the obligations of their new profession.

The white coat is a symbolic, non-verbal communication used to express and reaffirm a fundamental belief in a system that society observes. The authority of dress is serious and purposeful, not social, casual or random. The dress of healers of primitive societies was an important part of the paraphernalia of healing. The uniform should imply a purely professional interest. It must convey to even the most anxious a sense of seriousness and purpose that helps provide reassurance and confidence that his/her complaints will be dealt with competently and seriously.

It is a cloak of compassion.

2026 White Coat Ceremonies

This year’s White Coat Ceremonies will be Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026.

10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Ceremony #1 (Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Clinical Nutrition and Nursing)

3 - 5:30 p.m.: Ceremony #2 (Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine - DO and PA)

Location:

          Bass Performance Hall

          525 Commerce St.

          Fort Worth, TX 76102

White Coat Ceremony Attire and Behavioral Expectations

The UNT Health White Coat Ceremony is a formal event, and the attire and behavioral expectations outlined below are designed to provide a ceremony that focuses on the recognition for UNT Health’s incoming students. UNT Health strives to uphold a safe and respectful environment for all students and guests, and the expectations outlined below and the policies on the Bass Performance Hall’s website are critical for achieving that aim. Consistent with UNT Health’s Free Speech Policy (UNT Health Policy 1.104), the White Coat Ceremony is subject to content-neutral time, place, and manner regulations that maintain focus on our students and their accomplishments.

Attire Expectations

Attire Under White Coat: All students are expected to wear business professional attire. Prohibited attire includes articles featuring offensive language, derogatory statements, or any references to weapons, alcohol, or illegal drugs.

Inspection of Attire: All clothing is subject to review during line-up and as needed during the course of the White Coat Ceremony proceedings. Students wearing inappropriate items will be asked to remove them. Students who fail to meet attire guidelines will be asked to leave the ceremony or escorted away from the event.

White Coat Ceremony Behavioral Expectations

Personal Conduct: Any student who is disruptive or fails to follow the instructions of UNT Health staff may be escorted from the venue. Students are also responsible for following all UNT Health policies, including the Student Code of Conduct and Civility (UNT Health Policy 7.105).

  • Note: Bass Performance Hall has its own policies for all guests, including students, available here. Guests, including students, who violate these policies are subject to removal from the venue.
    • The following behaviors are not permitted:
      • Use of any tobacco products or any electronic smoking devices
      • Solicitation (e.g. distribution of pamphlets, product sampling, etc.)

Event Participation: Students are expected to remain seated and stay for the entire duration of the ceremony out of respect for their fellow classmates. Exceptions will be made for students’ use of restroom facilities, personal illnesses, emergencies or for students’ practicing of religious beliefs in a more private space.

Prohibited Items: The following items are prohibited:

  • Noise-making Devices: Air horns, whistles, bells, vuvuzelas, etc.
  • Projectiles: beach balls, balloons, inflatables and frisbees in addition to streamers, glitter, confetti, etc.
  • Signs, flags or banners
  • Note: Bass Performance Hall also prohibits certain items from the facility. These items include:
    • Oversized baggage, luggage, instrument cases, and backpacks
      • Students are not allowed to bring any purses or bags with them, and these items must be left with a family member or in their vehicle. Exceptions will be made for medical needs.
    • Weapons of any shape or size
    • Outside food, beverage and alcohol
    • Illegal drugs or substances
    • Any other items deemed by staff to be dangerous, hazardous, illegal, or inappropriate

Parking 

Early arrival is strongly recommended. Bass Hall is located in downtown Fort Worth, and the ceremony will take place during the work week, so traffic and parking may be busy. Multiple self-parking options are available near Bass Hall – view them on the Bass Hall website. Please keep in mind that valet will not be an option. Accessible parking is available in all nearby garages, and “curb cuts” are located at both the East and West entrances for convenient wheelchair drop-off.

Bass Performance Hall Policy Information

Visit https://www.basshall.com/plan-your-visit/safety-security/ for more information on event policies at Bass Performance Hall.

Items Not Permitted to Enter:

  • Oversized bags, luggage, instrument cases, and backpacks. Bags must fit comfortably under your seat.
  • Weapons of any shape or size including (but not limited to) firearms, knives of any kind, throwing stars, machetes, tasers and mace*
  • Outside food or beverage including alcohol (empty Bass Hall souvenir cups are permitted)
  • Any other items deemed dangerous, hazardous, illegal or inappropriate
  • Balloons

Items Subject to Inspection:

  • Jackets and coats
  • Bags
  • Infant care bags, plastic bottles and formula
  • Medically necessary items

Flowers will be allowed at Bass Performance Hall.

ADA

Guest services staff will help guests who need wheelchair assistance.

Invitation Letter

If you would like to invite family or friends from abroad, students can provide an invitation letter to their visitor(s) to present with their visa application, we suggest that you, yourself write a letter for the visitor(s).

Consular officials from the U.S. Department of State have stated that B-2 tourist/visitor visa applicants do not need an invitation letter from the school in order to process a visa application and that the letters are not helpful. Invitation letters are not a documentation requirement in order for visitors to apply for a tourist visa.

For specific required documentation, please refer to the specific U.S. Embassy website that your visitor(s) will be going to for their interview: https://www.usembassy.gov/

White Coat Ceremony Live Stream 

Unable to attend the White Coat Ceremony in-person? Check out the live stream of the ceremonies here:

Closed Captions

  • Click on the links above to access the livestream for the ceremony that you would like to watch.
  • If you are attending in-person at Bass Performance Hall, please turn off your sound to avoid disturbing others.
  • On the livestream, tap the CC button in the bottom right corner to follow along.

White Coat Ceremony Contact

Ethan Williams
Assistant Director for Student Engagement, Center for Student Life
ethan.williams@unthealth.edu