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WesternU College of Podiatric Medicine welcomes new class to the profession

by Rodney Tanaka

August 20, 2025

Read 1 mins

A large group of people, many wearing white coats, pose together in a hallway, likely for a professional or academic event.
The College of Podiatric Medicine Class of 2029, along with CPM faculty, staff and guests, at their white coat ceremony. (Photo by Larissa Bahr Photography)

Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Podiatric Medicine held its white coat ceremony for first-year students Aug. 8, 2025 in Pomona, California.

A man in a suit speaks at a podium with a Western University College of Podiatric Medicine banner, surrounded by flowers and a U.S. flag.
California Podiatric Medical Association President Dr. Arman Kirakosian speaks at the College of Podiatric Medicine white coat ceremony Aug. 8, 2025 in Pomona, California. (Photo by Larissa Bahr Photography)

CPM faculty cloaked students in white coats for the first time to welcome them into the profession and to remind them of their responsibilities as healers. California Podiatric Medical Association President Dr. Arman Kirakosian told students when they don their white coat, they are making a promise to their patients, profession and themselves.

“It is easy to see the white coat as a symbol of authority, but I want you to see it as something deeper – a symbol of service, of trust, of responsibility and of healing,” Kirakosian said. “When patients see you in this coat, they won’t just expect knowledge. They will expect presence, compassion and integrity. This is not just the beginning of your clinical education. It is the beginning of your transformation from a student to a healer, someone who doesn’t just diagnose but who understands what the patient is going through.”

Podiatric physicians don’t just fix feet, we resolve lives, we give people back their independence, their livelihood and their dignity, Kirakosian said. He then asked students to think about the kind of doctor they want to be.

“Because this coat won’t define you. You will define it. Will it reflect compassion, humility and leadership? This is your time to begin that journey with intention,” he said. “Wear your coat with humility. Practice with purpose. And never forget, every step you help patients take is a step forward for humanity. Welcome to the clinic, welcome to the profession, and welcome to the start of something extraordinary.”

A woman speaks at a podium labeled "Western University College of Podiatric Medicine," with floral arrangements and the American flag nearby; a man sits to the right.
CPM alumna Laura O’Connell, DPM ’19, provided the keynote address at the CPM white coat ceremony. (Photo by Larissa Bahr Photography)

Keynote speaker and CPM alumna Laura O’Connell, DPM ’19, encouraged students to stay disciplined from the very beginning. Build your foundation with care because everything that follows will depend on its strength. Treat every opportunity, whether in lecture halls, labs, clinic floors or operating rooms, as a chance to move closer to the physician you aspire to be. With each patient, each case, each experience, ask yourself how does this help me to become a better doctor. Seize every moment to refine your skill, deepen your knowledge and strengthen your compassion.

“There is no wasted time when your goal is to become the most empathetic, well prepared, well educated and capable physician you can be. Foot and ankle surgery is a demanding sub specialty. We deal with the foundation of human movement. Every step a patient takes, every moment of pain relief, that’s the impact we have. But that kind of impact only comes from dedication,” O’Connell said. “Work hard today because tomorrow will demand even more of you.  And you will need today’s strength to meet those demands. Let the habits you form now sustain you later. The excellence your patients will one day expect from you must begin today. Don’t let that white coat feel symbolic. Let it be a signal to yourself and to your future patients that you’re ready to show up and give everything you have. Congratulations on this incredible milestone and for earning your place in this remarkable profession.”

First-year CPM student Salvador Enrique Villafana said podiatric medicine appealed to him because of the beautiful idea of restoring the human condition of patients.

“The skill set I would really like to acquire is motivating patients who may feel vulnerable, distressed, overwhelmed,” Villafana said. “Let’s try to get to those souls and really make them feel human.”

 

Photos by Larissa Bahr Photography.

Two women in white coats shake hands in front of a blue curtain and an American flag; people in white coats are seated and clapping in the background. An older man in a white coat shakes hands with a young woman in a white coat on stage, while two seated people applaud in the background. Two people in white coats shake hands on stage in front of an American flag and blue curtain, with others seated and applauding in the background. Two people in white coats shake hands and smile on stage, with two seated individuals in the background against a blue curtain. Two women in white coats pose and shake hands on stage, smiling at the camera, with two seated people in white coats in the background.A group of people in white coats stand and read from papers during a formal event, with one person holding a hand to their chest.

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