College of Medicine

Fifty-seven members of the School of Physician Assistant Practice’s Class of 2026 celebrated completing their first semester of studies with a traditional White Coat Ceremony Jan. 17 at Opperman Music Hall, welcoming them to the profession.

In her welcoming remarks, Florida State University College of Medicine Dean Alma Littles, M.D., reminded the students, “You have what it takes to succeed,” adding they will play a crucial role in helping the college fulfill its mission and “produce the workforce that Florida truly needs to serve our patients.”

The Class of 2026 is the eighth PA class at Florida State University. More than 300 graduates have completed the rigorous 27-month curriculum that culminates with a master’s degree, and 70% of them are practicing in Florida.

“Today’s ceremony is all about acknowledging the significant transition in your professional life as you get ready to care for patients,” Littles said. “The white coat, along with the stethoscope, is one of the most recognizable symbols of medicine.

“While you should wear it with great pride, you must recognize that with this symbol comes great responsibility.”

Class President Levi Payne introduced the keynote speaker, Rebecca Mangali, president of the Florida Academy of PAs and a clinical associate professor are the college’s Daytona Beach Regional Campus since 2019, the year FSU graduated its first PA class. A practicing PA since 2009, Mangali earned master’s degrees in Physician Assistant Studies and Public Health at Nova Southeastern University, and she is completing her doctorate in medical science at Shenandoah University.

“The white coat you receive today is more than just a piece of clothing. It is a symbol of professionalism, compassion and responsibility,” she said. “It represents your commitment to the values that define our profession: empathy, integrity and an unwavering dedication to serving others.”

Mangali said the influence of a compassionate provider cannot be overstated, and a simple act of kindness or taking an extra moment to listen can transform a patient’s experience.

“These are the moments that truly define us as health care providers,” she said, “not just the medicine we practice, but the humanity we bring to it.”

A proud FSU undergraduate alum, Mangali closed by leading the packed auditorium in the Seminole chop, complete with a recording of the Marching Chiefs on her mobile phone.

Once the laughter died down, the ceremony got down to the business at hand. Faculty members lined up in groups of four as the students approached the steps to the stage, white coats over their arms. One by one, students were “coated,” afterward shaking hands and occasionally hugging the faculty member, fist-bumping with Associate Dean Benjamin Smith, DMSc and director of the PA program, and finally shaking hands with Littles before leaving the stage.

"It is our privilege to provide you with a world-class education, to help you become exceptional clinicians and to become the future leaders of our profession," Smith said in his closing remarks.

The joy was palpable in the auditorium during the ceremony, and afterward in the foyer.

Grace Roberts of Tampa recorded daughter Alyssa Roberts’ being coated on her phone. The mom said she believed Alyssa would end up in a health care field.

“She has a sister, Kayla, who is differently-abled, and Alyssa was always able to understand what the doctors were saying,” Grace Roberts said. “I have an MBA in Finance, but she is skilled on the medical side.”

Kayla is completing a two-year certificate program in hospitality at the University of Central Florida; she said she’s proud of her sister.

Taylor Pritchett, who earned her bachelor’s degree at Ohio Northern University, celebrated with her parents. She said she is proud of herself and her classmates. “It was emotional because it was such a big accomplishment for all of us.”

Parents Michelle, a pediatric nurse, and J.J., a social worker, drove down from their home in Dayton, Ohio.

“They never would have missed it,” Taylor said.

Someone else who would not have missed it was Orlando Regional Campus Dean Mark Chaet, M.D. He has participated in white coat ceremonies since he became dean in late 2021.

“I want the PA students to know they are our students, just like the M.D. students, and they belong here at the College of Medicine,” he said.

Jamie and Erick Burke of Colquitt, Georgia, parents of Allison Paige Burke, said the ceremony was a “such a proud moment.” Maternal grandparents Tim and Sandra Allen smilingly described Paige as “so smart it’s scary.”

The PA students have almost two more years of demanding training ahead of them, but the keynote speaker had noted that it will also be “profoundly rewarding.”

“Embrace every challenge, celebrate every success, and never lose sight of why you chose this path,” Mangali said. “You are not just shaping your future; you are shaping the future of health care.”

Contact Audrey Post at audrey.post@med.fsu.edu

Photo captions:

Top right: Rebecca Mangali, president of the Florida Academy of PAs, keynote speaker at the White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2026, and a proud FSU undergraduate alumna, leads the group in FSU's signature Tomahawk Chop while playing a recording of the Marching Chiefs on her phone.

Spotlight photo on Home page: PA students in the Class of 2026 prepare to take the PA Student Oath.

Photos by Colin Hackley for the FSU College of Medicine