Vanderbilt White Coat Ceremony

Last weekend, I had the honor to attend the White Coat Ceremony at Vanderbilt's School of Medicine welcoming the Class of 2018 into the ranks of the medical profession.  Dr. Bonnie Miller, Sr. Associate Dean for Medical Education, introduced the philosophy behind the new curriculum 2.0 and challenged the incoming students to a life of service and leadership in medicine.  I was struck by three of the sentences she delivered:

1. "This is a teaching hospital.  Everyone teaches - teachers, students, and patients."
2. "Our job is not simply to give you the skills to be good doctors.  Our job is to challenge you to use those skills to achieve leadership in medicine"
3. "It is an honor to serve the suffering."

These words immediately reminded me of the values and principles fostered through the Scouting program.

1. The patrol method - everyone on the team has something to contribute based on their unique perspective and experience.  
2. The path to Eagle - starts with a mastery of the skills achieved by the rank of 1st Class, and continues as the individual applies those skills to help others in increasing roles of responsibility.
3. Servant leadership - the challenge to lead by example.

I came to the event with feelings of both pride and trepidation - will my son manage the rigors of training at one of the nation's top medical schools?  But I left reassured that my Eagle Scout was embarking on a journey well equipped to meet the challenges that Dr. Miller set forth.