University students receive white coats

Samuel Madore

Matthew Sonagere

Emily Harvey-Garcia

BIDDEFORD — Three area residents recently participated in the annual White Coat Ceremony at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. The ceremony formally recognizes the transition students make from lay persons to those assuming the responsibility of physicians.

Samuel Madore, son of Marc and Jennifer Madore of Turner; Matthew Sonagere, son of Ken and Kathy Sonagere of Auburn; and Emily Harvey-Garcia, daughter of Arthur Harvey and Elizabeth Garcia-O'Keefe of Hartford, all first-year students at the college, participated in the ceremony.

The evening ceremony was held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland on Oct. 8. Event highlights included presentation of the white coats by members of the physician community; remarks by Marc Hahn, CO, dean of the UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine; Joel Kase, DO, president of the Maine Osteopathic Association; David McDermott, president of the Maine Medical Association; Peter Bell, DO, assistant dean for Ohio University COM/CORE Pre- and Post-doctorate Education; second-year medical student Alan Schleier, president of the Student Osteopathic Medical Association; and the reading of the Osteopathic Oath by Polly Leonard, DO 1995 UNECOM, president of the UNECOM Alumni Board. A reception followed.