Heritage College welcomes Class of 2026 at White Coat Ceremony

The Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine welcomed 254 students into its Class of 2026 during the 47th Convocation and White Coat Ceremony on Aug. 12 at the Templeton Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium, which was livestreamed for family and friends who could not attend in person.

During this annual rite of passage, incoming medical students receive their short white coat, which is symbolic of their status as physicians in training.

“Today marks a truly momentous occasion in your lives,” Molly Frey, Student Government Association president on the college’s Dublin campus, told the class. “Once you receive your white coat, you no longer represent just yourself but the entirety of the osteopathic profession. The white coat represents professionalism, integrity, compassion and, most importantly, a lifelong commitment to help those in need.”

The college received 5,155 applications for 254 spots. Ninety-two percent of incoming medical students come from Ohio, 18 percent are first-generation college students and 28 percent are members of minority groups.

During the ceremony, Anthony Chila, D.O., professor emeritus of family medicine, was posthumously awarded the college’s Phillips Medal of Public Service, the highest honor bestowed by the college. As a leading authority on osteopathic manipulative medicine, Dr. Chila made a profound impact on the profession through innovative research and scholarship over the course of his career, which spanned more than 50 years. Chila served the college from 1978 until his retirement in 2011. The Ohio native, who received numerous awards and accolades during his lifetime, died April 1, 2022. Jean Rettos, an associate clinical professor of osteopathic manipulative medicine who trained under Chila, accepted the medal on behalf of his family.

“Dr. Chila is a true legend in the osteopathic medical community, whose research and scholarship has influenced students and physicians around the globe,” said Heritage College Executive Dean and OHIO Chief Medical Affairs Officer Ken Johnson, D.O. “I had the incredible opportunity to learn from Dr. Chila starting in 1989 as a student in New England and can personally attest to his masterful teaching, which transformed my patient care. I am honored that a physician of such distinction also played such a pivotal role in the lives of many Heritage College students.”

A recording of the ceremony is available to watch on the Heritage College’s website.