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NAMP News
Updates from the Northern Alberta Medical Program
The Origins and Evolution of the White Coat Ceremony
The White Coat Ceremony is a symbolic and meaningful tradition in medical education. It marks the transition of students from pre-clinical studies to clinical health sciences and emphasizes the commitment to compassionate, ethical patient care.
The WCC originated in 1993 at Columbia University, to emphasize professionalism, humanism and the Hippocratic Oath at the start of a medical student's education. This rite of passage instills the importance of patient care, ethics and compassion before students begin their medical studies.
The ceremony provides students with their first white lab coat, symbolizing their entry into the medical profession and encouraging a professional demeanor from the outset.
The white coat has been a symbol of cleanliness and purity in medicine for over a century, gaining prominence with the rise of aseptic surgery in the late 19th century. It serves as the pre-eminent symbol of physicians and is the first piece of professional attire for many new healthcare professionals.
Celebrating the Northern AB Medical Program Class of 2029 - White Coat Ceremony
"The white coat ceremony is both a culmination of the hard work that brought us here and a symbol of the new journey ahead that bears immense responsibility. For me personally, it is also a reminder of my grandmother who donned her white coat as one of the few female physicians in the 1960s and how she helped pave the way for me as a woman in medicine today."
Faith Nobert - NAMP Class of 2029
"For myself, the White Coat represents the virtues, values, resilience, perseverance and experience that I have developed along the journey into medicine and how I will don those characteristics as I cure disease and help others live more productive lives into the future."
Matt Schmale - NAMP Class of 2029
Meet the Team
I am born and raised right here in Grande Prairie. I have been blessed with the opportunity to come back here to serve the community I grew up in as a family physician. Getting involved in teaching and strengthening the network of physicians in the north feels like another way to help our patients now and for the future.
I started my post secondary journey at NWP and cherish the time I spent there before moving on to the U of A. I would have loved to be a NAMP student myself and am so excited and honored to be part of bringing this program to life.
Krista Ingram, Community and Patient Experiences Lead
I am an entrepreneur, community advocate and fundraiser dedicated to strengthening Northern Alberta. Having grown up in Grande Prairie, I’ve built my life and career around this community, raising my seven children here with my husband and focusing on what matters most: creating a strong, healthy future for the next generation. From growing a business rooted in local partnerships and inclusivity, to leading fundraising and engagement efforts with local nonprofits, I’ve seen firsthand the power of connection and collaboration to transform lives.
Now, as Community & Student Engagement Coordinator with NAMP, I’m proud to help bridge education and community. NAMP empowers rural Albertans to pursue medical education closer to home, ensuring our future healthcare is rooted in local understanding and stronger community outcomes.
Jessica Schoepp, Community and Student Engagement Coordinator
NAMP Standardized Patient Program
Everyone is Welcome and Everyone is Needed.
We are committed to building a diverse team of Standardized Patients that represents the communities we serve.
What Does a Standardized Patient Do?
As a Standardized Patient, you’ll act as a patient experiencing a specific set of symptoms or concerns by presenting the same case consistently across multiple encounters. This allows medical students a chance to learn in a safe, supportive environment.
Your role helps students:
Apply clinical reasoning in realistic scenarios
Practice physical examination techniques
Strengthen professionalism and patient-centered care
Prepare for assessments with consistent, reliable case experiences
Need more information or have more questions? We're here to help! Email us directly namp.sp@ualberta.ca
Make an impact, teach for NAMP
Inspire the next generation of physicians by teaching in the University of Alberta’s MD Program, an innovative medical school dedicated to training diverse, competent and compassionate physician leaders to serve the health needs of all Albertans. Share your expertise, shape future healthcare leaders, and make a lasting impact where it’s needed most!
NAMP Opportunities
The Northern Alberta Medical Program has a number of exciting opportunities for faculty, administrative support staff and preceptors!
Questions?
We would love to hear from you!
Contact the NAMP team at NAMPInformation@ualberta.ca
