As Parthenamary Fekry ‘27PA walked across the stage to receive her white coat for the first time, one of the many thoughts going through her mind was that all of her hard work had finally paid off to this point.
“Putting on that white coat along with my colleagues and fellow future practitioners is a day I’ll never forget,” she said.
And, neither will her family. A contingent of more than a dozen family members traveled from Delaware to watch Fekry receive her white coat during the Salus at Drexel University’s Physician Assistant Studies White Coat Ceremony for the College of Medicine, with even more relatives planning to join later at a family luncheon.
Included in the Fekry family group were her parents, mother Mirna Anis, and father Hany Fekry, two grandparents, two siblings, an aunt and several cousins.
“There was a lot of emotion. My baby girl has grown up and now she’s going to have a career as a physician assistant,” said dad Hany Fekry. “I thank God for everything. And, I thank the school. It’s a very good program and we’re so happy.”
Mom Mirna Anis echoed that sentiment.
“This is her dream come true. I am so impressed with this celebration,” said Mirna Anis.
The emotion of collective group of relatives wasn’t lost on Parthenamary. “It made me feel very loved and blessed to have my whole family here,” she said. “This is the culmination of all of their support and the fruit of my family’s labor. I could not be more grateful to be surrounded by them.”
The White Coat Ceremony represents the transition of first-year students into professionals-in-training, with the white coat serving as a symbol of their profession. Fifty members of the Salus at Drexel PA Class of 2027 were recognized at the ceremony.
For Nicole Gaspari ‘27PA, of Fairfax, Virginia, walking across the stage to put on her white coat for the first time made her feel “like a kid in dress-up clothes.” Her family group also made its presence known with audible cheers as her name was announced.
“She’s worked so hard. We met at Virginia Tech and she’s just a great person,” said boyfriend Sean Tieff, who brought along a bouquet of flowers and a stuffed animal that resembled the couple’s dog Muffy, a mini poodle mix, who wasn’t able to attend the ceremony, for Gaspari. “To see her receive the white coat was honestly one of the best feelings I’ve had in a while. She’s going to do so well and we can’t wait to see where she goes from here.”
Elisabeth Van Bockstaele, PhD, senior vice president and chief strategy officer, senior vice provost, Graduate Studies at Drexel University, delivered the keynote address. She reminded the students that becoming physician assistants is a demanding path, and emphasized to their families and friends in attendance that the journey will require encouragement, patience and understanding to help the students succeed.
“As future PAs, you are entering a profession borne out of innovation, grounded in teamwork and dedicated to expanding access to high-quality care. Your time here will challenge you to master complex medical knowledge, refine your clinical skills and work seamlessly within interprofessional teams,” said Dr. Van Bockstaele.
She also urged the students to pause, take in the moment, and reflect on the significance of the recent merger between Salus University and Drexel.
“You’re stepping into a program that carries the combined legacies of Salus and Drexel, two institutions built on excellence, innovation and service. That legacy is now in your hands,” said Dr. Van Bockstaele.
Rachel Ditoro, EdD, MSPAS, PA-C, program director for the Salus at Drexel PA program, urged the students to always try to focus on their “why” — why they wanted to become a physician assistant and why they wanted to provide patient care.
"You told us how you wanted to emulate the actions of those providers who made you feel heard, supported and care for. And, you wanted to do better than those providers who left you feeling alone and mistrustful of the health care system,” said Dr. Ditoro. “The answers we got was it was about human connections. This is your ‘why.’”
Dr. Ditoro reminded students that PA school will be one of the most challenging experiences they face—demanding mentally, physically, and emotionally. She encouraged them to stay grounded by reconnecting with their personal “why” each time they put on their white coat, using it as a touchstone.
“And, some days you might ask yourself, is it really worth it, is this what I really want?” said Dr. Ditoro. “On those days, I want you to remember your ‘why.’ Your ‘why’ should be your touchstone, the thing that grounds you when you feel the fatigue of school weighing on you.”
