Medical students at the University of Minnesota must now take an oath to “honor all Indigenous ways of healing that have been historically marginalized by Western medicine” and fight “white supremacy, colonialism, [and] the gender binary.”
The University of Minnesota Medical School (UMMS) class of 2026 recited an oath during the white coat ceremony that included pledges to dedicate their careers to activist causes including anti-racism, climate advocacy, and the LGBTQ+ agenda.
A handout provided at the ceremony indicated the oath was written by the oath writing committee, which is comprised of 15 medical students enrolled in the class.
Students began the woke oath by chanting, “Our institution is located on Dakota land…We commit to uprooting the legacy and perpetuation of structural violence deeply embedded within the health care system.”
“We recognize the inequities built by past and present traumas rooted in white supremacy, colonialism, the gender binary, ableism, and all other forms of oppression,” the oath continued.
Medical students at the University of Minnesota must now take an oath to "honor all Indigenous ways of healing that have been historically marginalized by Western medicine" and fight "white supremacy, colonialism, [and] the gender binary." pic.twitter.com/DSiQz9BUx8
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) October 9, 2022
Here’s the program from University of Minnesota’s white coat ceremony for the incoming class. You’ll notice that the closing is from the “Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” Ana Núñez who—wait for it—specializes in “gender medicine.” pic.twitter.com/jwibk6KTiD
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) October 9, 2022
Campus Reform report: UMMS Media Relations Manager Kat Dodge said that “[i]t is a common practice at medical schools in the United States to build upon the intent of the Hippocratic Oath to promote humility, integrity, and beneficence.”
“Each year at the University of Minnesota Medical School, the incoming students work with faculty to write an oath that reflects these core elements, values, and ethics the class aspires to uphold,” Dodge explained.
The medical students pledged “to honor all Indigenous ways of healing” that are “historically marginalized by Western medicine.”
UMMS students also committed to climate advocacy stating, “health is intimately connected to our environment, we commit to healing our planet and communities.”
“In light of [the white coats’ Heal] legacy as a symbol of power, prestige, and dominance, we strive to reclaim their identity as a symbol of responsibility, humility, and loving-kindness,” the oath concluded.
