First Step Toward a Bright Future: Foster School of Medicine Welcomes Largest Class Yet

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)--  The journey to becoming a doctor officially began for 130 students this weekend at the Foster School of Medicine — the largest incoming class in the school’s history.

On Saturday, friends and family filled the Starlight Events Center for the 17th annual White Coat Ceremony. The event marks the moment when future physicians receive their first white coats a tradition symbolizing compassion, professionalism, and a lifelong commitment to patient care.

For student Oxyfarn, it’s a milestone years in the making.

“It’s also a sense of achievement. I’m just happy to see I finally get to do what I’ve been dreaming of,” he said.

The White Coat Ceremony has been a Foster tradition since 2009, with each new class pledging to address pressing health challenges in the U.S. Mexico border region.

Graduate Alexander Gomez says his mission is to serve the community he calls home.

“I would love to bridge the gap between minorities and healthcare and make a more trusting environment with healthcare providers. So I would love to stay in a border town to help with rural minority populations.”

From cancer treatment to rural health access, these students are preparing to face some of the Borderland’s most urgent medical needs.

“I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, and I always wanted to help people, especially here in the El Paso community,” one student said. “Seeing illnesses that are preventable we can work to stop them and break down barriers.”

For the Class of 2029, putting on the white coat is more than just a tradition it’s the first step toward making a difference in the lives of the communities they’ll one day serve.