Inspired to Lead and Make Positive Change, Students Begin Med School Journey

New Sidney Kimmel Medical College student Toren Ikea-Mario, a triplet and one of 16 siblings, knew he wanted to be a doctor since age 5—when his identical brother was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.

This early exposure to cancer and countless hospital visits inspired him to become involved at a camp for children with cancer. First a counselor and then a board member, Ikea-Mario just wrapped up his 20th year with the non-profit near his hometown in Oregon.

And while born and raised in the Pacific Northwest (where he also worked as a wilderness firefighter), the med student belongs to a special lineage thousands of miles away. Ikea-Mario is a prince on the Micronesian island of Polowat. His family has run the tiny atoll for generations.

“I’m a very proud Micronesian,” says Ikea-Mario, who plans to become a pediatric oncologist. “I’m thrilled to represent my people in this way. There aren’t enough Micronesians or Pacific Islanders in medicine, and I want to increase the representation for my people.”

On July 26 in Philadelphia’s Crystal Tea Room, Ikea-Mario joined the Sidney Kimmel Medical College Class of 2028 for the White Coat Ceremony. The special event marked the official start for 277 med students as they donned their white coats for the first time, recited the Hippocratic Oath, and heard words of encouragement from University leadership, alumni and med students.

Dr. Said Ibrahim recounted his life growing up on the Somalian-Ethiopian border—which he described as “one of the least developed areas in the world”—to becoming Sidney Kimmel Medical College Dean.

“If I can do this, you can,” he says. “Today marks the start of an extraordinary journey for you. I know it because I traveled that journey: one that will challenge you, one that will inspire you, and, ultimately, one that will shape you into the physician of tomorrow. At Sidney Kimmel Medical College, our mission is not only to provide cutting-edge medical education but to foster an environment where compassion, integrity and collaboration thrive.”

All med students received a Narcan kit at the ceremony, showing they have the power to save lives from day one, stressed Dr. Charles Pohl, the University’s senior vice provost for student affairs.

“When you don your white coat today, you will gain enviable access and immeasurable trust ascribed by those who have come before you,” says Dr. Pohl, also the vice dean for student affairs and career counseling at Sidney Kimmel Medical College. “That is, you will be in the room when a patient is diagnosed with a debilitating or terminal disease. You will be in the room when a person becomes a mother. You will be in the room when a family grieves the loss of their child. You will be in the room when medical therapeutics save lives.”

Medicine’s emotional component inspired Class of 2028 student Molly Orlick to become a doctor. As an undergrad, she volunteered at a hospice and free medical clinic.

“Even in this limited capacity, I saw how special and meaningful it was to provide comfort and support to these patients and their families during such difficult and trying times,” says Orlick, who also interned with a U.S. Congresswoman and worked for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Appreciating a physician’s vast, vital role in a person’s life, Orlick knew she wanted to enter medicine and applied early decision to Sidney Kimmel Medical College.

“You can be there for people during some of their happiest times but also some of the most difficult and exceptionally sad times,” she says. “When you have a physician who really cares, that can make a patient’s life so much better—and that’s what I hope to do one day.”

Classmate Arryana Daniels, from Wilmington, Del., experienced firsthand the difference one doctor could make. While playing Division I soccer as an undergrad, hours from home, she tore her ACL during a match.

The nearby orthopedic surgeon’s cold and dismissive bedside manner exacerbated a difficult situation. Fortunately, Daniels instead went to Rothman Orthopaedics at Jefferson Health for the procedure with wildly different results. The physician attentively listened to her concerns and thoroughly explained the operation.

“I wanted to be like that doctor, being super intentional and considerate of the patient and making sure they get well and get the treatment they deserve and need,” says Daniels, who spent years volunteering at First Tee – Delaware, a youth development organization that introduces golf and its values to children.

In welcoming the Class of 2028, University President Dr. Susan Aldridge praised the students for their dedication and accomplishments and reflected on this White Coat Ceremony’s significance during Jefferson’s Bicentennial.

With a bold vision and only $550, four medical pioneers—led by Dr. George McClellan—established Jefferson Medical College in 1824, says Dr. Aldridge, noting its place as the fifth medical school in the United States. By 1859, Jefferson enrolled 630 students, making it the world’s top-attended medical school.

“Now, 200 years from its conception and thousands of students later, all of you are carrying on this great legacy by donning your white coat as the first big step in your own journey to becoming a physician,” she says. “I have no doubt you’re ready, given your obvious intelligence and desire to make a difference in patients’ lives by delivering the best care with empathy, integrity and professionalism.”

As physicians, the Class of 2028 will light the way with trailblazing ideas and groundbreaking solutions to fight disease, alleviate suffering and make positive change worldwide, Dr. Aldridge urged.

“Know that medical school will be every bit as challenging as it is rewarding,” she says. “But we have tremendous faith in your success as stewards of the future in patient-centered health care.”