BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — OSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine hosted it's white coat ceremony Saturday afternoon. The ceremony is a rite of passage for hundreds of OSU students going into the field of medicine.
The event took place at the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center.
Andrew Cook was among the hundreds of first-year medical students cloaked and officially inducted into the healthcare practice. He said this milestone has been a life-long dream. When he was 10-years-old he decided he wanted to become a doctor, and ever since then he's been working towards that goal.
“The feeling of walking across the stage and getting this white coat, made all the sacrifices worth it,"Cook said.
His parents could not attend the white coat ceremony because tested positive for COVID-19. However, someone else very special was able to go in their place. Mr. Lawson, Cook's kindergarten was there.
“I sent her a quick DM on Instagram because I didn't have her number and said, 'hey, don’t feel obligated because I know you’re four hours away, but I’ve got an extra ticket if you want to come,” Cook said.
Although they had not seen each other in 19 years, she accepted the invitation and drove about four hours just to be there for Cook's special moment.
"To see him as an adult and to get to this pinnacle point, it’s major, like, I’ve never experienced this with any of my students before so it’s such an honor to see it,” Stephanie Lawson said.
Lawson said she was honored to see her former student reach another milestone.
While Cook's parents couldn't be at the ceremony in person, he said they watched a live stream of the event.
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