A new chapter began for 108 aspiring osteopathic physicians as Western University of Health Sciences Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine (WesternU HCOM) welcomed its newest class of medical students. Their first week marked the beginning of rigorous medical education and the start of meaningful connections that will define their years of training.  

WesternU HCOM’s Welcome Week featured multiple opportunities for students to get to know each other, their faculty and staff, and the Lebanon community. Welcome Week culminated on July 31, 2026, with WesternU HCOM’s white coat ceremony, an annual event and a rite of passage that welcomes students into the health professions. 

This white coat ceremony is especially historic as WesternU welcomed the first class entering as the Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine, said WesternU President Robin Farias-Eisner, MD, PhD, MBA. 

The name transition from COMP-Northwest to WesternU HCOM honors Jeff Heatherington and the Heatherington Foundation for Innovation and Education in Health Care. Heatherington is a leader, philanthropist and lifelong advocate for osteopathic medicine in Oregon. This is the first time in WesternU’s 48-year history that a college site will be named for a major benefactor and advocate. 

Through his leadership of the Heatherington Foundation and FamilyCare, Inc., Heatherington stands as WesternU’s largest donor. The Foundation is credited with more than $50 million in total giving to WesternU and the donation of 150 acres of riverfront property in Lebanon, Oregon to build a new campus and launch a graduate program in behavioral health therapy. 

“This is a new chapter that reflects not only a new name, but an enduring investment in the future of medical education and the physicians who will shape tomorrow’s landscape,” Farias-Eisner said. “We are deeply grateful to the Heatherington Foundation for its extraordinary generosity and visionary commitment to this University. This transformational support will strengthen us and educational opportunities will abound. We will expand innovation and ensure that generations of future physicians are prepared to serve with excellence and compassion.  

“I would especially like to recognize and thank Jeff Heatherington, whose unwavering dedication to this institution spans years. His belief in our mission and his steadfast support has helped shape the success of this college and the countless students whose lives have been forever changed through their education here,” Farias-Eisner added. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, our faculty, our leadership, our students, our alums and the communities they serve, thank you for your remarkable partnership and for believing in what is possible.”  

The white coat ceremony plays a vital role in instilling first-year students with the values of their profession. WesternU Provost Paula M. Crone, DO ’92, talked about spending time with her patients during devastating and emotional moments in their lives.  For these patients, her white coat represented comfort, compassion, safety and hope.   

“These patients rarely remembered every medication I prescribed. They probably couldn’t explain every medical decision we made together, but they always remembered how they were treated, how they were respected, how they were heard, how they were cared for. That is the true meaning of this white coat,” Crone said. 

“Today, you become part of a proud tradition at Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine, a tradition grounded in service, humanism, excellence, and the osteopathic philosophy of caring for the whole person. Never lose sight of why you chose this profession,” she said. “As you put on your white coat, remember this. It is not a symbol of status. It’s a symbol of responsibility. It is not something you earn once. It is something you must continue to earn every single day through your actions.”  

WesternU HCOM Dean Lisa Warren, DO ’01, MBA, welcomed the Class of 2030 by recognizing both the strength of the incoming class and the purpose that brought them to medical school. She noted that nearly half of the students are from the Pacific Northwest, including the one-third of the class that calls Oregon home.  

“Trust your why. As you begin medical school, there are long days, difficult exams, and moments of doubt. When those moments come, remember your purpose. What drew you here? Why did you apply? What is it that you are working towards? Reflect on your why as you go through these moments. Trust that you belong here,” said Dean Warren. “There are 108 of you here in this room in the Class of 2030. Each of you was carefully selected from nearly 3,600 applications. That is because we saw your intelligence, compassion, character, and potential for becoming excellent osteopathic physicians. You are an extraordinary class.” 

A meaningful tradition at the WesternU HCOM white coat ceremony is the presentation of black medical bags. Through the Tools of the Trade program, Lebanon community members gift each incoming medical student with a black bag, equipping them with an essential tool for their future work as osteopathic physicians. The bags are filled with handwritten notes of encouragement and coupons from local businesses, offering a warm welcome to the newest members of the Lebanon community. 

Following the donning of the white coats, WesternU HCOM Site Dean Heather Phipps, DO, MBA, FAAOS, led the students in the Pledge of Commitment. The pledge represents a commitment to compassionate, humanistic care, and a lifelong dedication to the principles of osteopathic medicine. 

“This pledge only takes a minute to say, but its concepts should inspire you during the next four years and throughout your career,” said Site Dean Phipps. “You stand today at a threshold, about to begin the extraordinary work of becoming a physician. What makes this moment special isn’t today’s ceremony, it is the promise and commitment you are about to make to every patient who will ever trust you with their care.” 

First-year WesternU HCOM student Hannah Pon said she chose WesternU because it offered a great mix of academic rigor, opportunities for networking, and future career opportunities while also providing strong community engagement. She grew up in San Francisco and she is looking forward to living in a smaller community. 

“I think sometimes a new environment pushes you to grow, to meet new people, and experience different communities,” Pon said. “Ultimately, it’s a good thing. As a doctor, you want to be able to empathize and care for patients from a variety of different backgrounds.” 

First-year WesternU HCOM student Ian DeMott has been in Lebanon since June as part of ISAC (Intensive Summer Anatomy Course), where a small group of incoming students complete the anatomy lab component of the first-year curriculum with the potential to become anatomy teaching assistants in the fall and spring semesters. 

“I loved anatomy as an undergrad. I love helping my fellow students learn,” DeMott said. “Now with everyone on campus, it’s an interesting perspective. It’s really fascinating to see the energy of students coming in. You can feel the excitement in the air.” 

Donning the white coat holds a lot of weight, and it’s an emotional day, he said. 

“I’m really excited to start this next journey with all my fellow classmates and for all of us to share that moment with our families,” DeMott said. “There are a lot of emotions and inspiration there.” 

First-year WesternU HCOM student Seth Gershfeld said he chose WesternU for many reasons. He loves camping and fishing, so he’s looking forward to exploring the outdoors. WesternU HCOM seems to provide a very strong support system, and there is a strong emphasis on clinical practice and an interdisciplinary approach. This aligns with his interest in psychiatry and with the osteopathic principles. 

“All health care should be interdisciplinary and integrated, but when we’re dealing with the mind, which really is a combination of mind, body and spirit, there’s even more of a need for that kind of interdisciplinary approach,” Gershfeld said. “And I think the osteopathic emphasis on the body as an organism as a self-regenerating machine, with an emphasis on the human, not just the anatomical elements of selfhood jibes really well with psychiatry.” 

The white coat ceremony is “a representation of all the hard work I put in over the years, not only my hard work but also the support and the love of the people around me that not only encouraged me but also helped me manifest this dream,” Gershfeld said. “This is the end of a meaningful era and the start of an even more meaningful era.”