More than 200 students at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) will receive white coats during a ceremony celebrating the beginning of student doctors’ journey to becoming physicians.
The White Coat Ceremony will take place at 2 p.m., Sept. 12, in the Conference Center in the WVSOM Student Center.
The keynote speaker will be Tom Takubo, D.O., a WVSOM alumnus who was elected to the West Virginia Senate in 2014.
A native of Chapmanville, WV, Takubo earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Marshall University, then pursued his passion for serving others by graduating from WVSOM in 1999. He completed an internal medicine residency at West Virginia University Charleston, followed by a pulmonary/critical care/sleep fellowship at East Tennessee State University. Takubo’s commitment to advancing health care in West Virginia led to the founding of the state’s largest private pulmonary practice in 2007, where he introduced cutting-edge diagnostic services.
Throughout his tenure in politics, he has had roles such as Senate majority leader, health chair, economic development chair and other leadership positions. After transitioning to WVU Medicine in 2022, he became an executive vice president for provider relations.
The White Coat Ceremony will have limited seating, and tickets will be required for admission. The ceremony will be livestreamed on the WVSOM website at www.wvsom.edu.
Tom Takubo, D.O.
