TMU marks new tradition with Stethoscope Ceremony for Inaugural MD Class
Clinical faculty leader Dr. Sach Rehsia presents MD student Maleeka Munroe with her first stethoscope at the inaugural School of Medicine Stethoscope Ceremony on October 3, 2025.
Before they ever write a prescription or step into a clinic, every physician learns to listen. That spirit was front and center at Toronto Metropolitan University’s first-ever Stethoscope Ceremony — a formal welcome for MD students and a symbolic promise to serve patients with compassion.
Hosted by Dr. Dorothy Bakker, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education, the ceremony welcomed learners, faculty and their families to celebrate the historic moment.
The ceremony, which takes the place of the traditional white coat ceremony held at other medical schools, marks a meaningful milestone for new medical students. It’s the moment they’re formally presented with their first stethoscope — a symbol of listening and connection — and officially begin their journey into the medical profession. Each student received their first stethoscope, engraved with ‘Class of 2029’, presented by School of Medicine faculty members.
TMU School of Medicine faculty applaud the inaugural MD class after presenting them with their first stethoscopes, a symbolic welcome from their medical mentors.
“This is a brand-new tradition for our School of Medicine — a moment that celebrates the beginning of our students’ journey as future physicians, and the communities they will one day serve,” said Bakker, addressing the packed theatre.
In her keynote remarks, Dr. Teresa Chan, Dean of the School of Medicine and TMU’s Vice-President, Medical Affairs, spoke about the significance of the day and the vision behind Canada’s newest medical school.
“While the white coat symbolizes knowledge, science, and rigor, the stethoscope requires you to lean in, to listen closely, to pay attention to the rhythms of another person’s body — and, just as importantly, each individual beat of their story,” said Chan. “You are making a promise — that you will listen, to not just the heartbeat, but the stories of the person behind it.”