The purpose of School of Medicine orientation is to establish connections with peers, faculty and staff. During orientation medical students will have the opportunity to connect with other students and discover on-campus, local, national resources and organizations. In order to ensure a seamless transition to the School of Medicine and the University of South Carolina students will be informed about relevant policies and procedures along with the academic expectations of Medical School. The Office of Student and Career Services will assist students with taking care of any last-minute issues prior starting classes including parking passes, connecting them to housing options and welcoming them to Columbia, SC.

Family and Friends Day is an annual event hosted by the Office of Student and Career Services and other departments across campus.  Family and friends of medical students are invited to participate in “A Day in the Life, of your Student” and visit campus. We will have student organizations set up and a variety of speakers from our faculty to engage guests for the day. Directly following Family and Friends Day is the Arnold P. Gold White Coat Ceremony.

The White Coat Ceremony is a rite of passage that takes place during the Fall of the medical students first year of education. It serves to welcome students to health care practice and elevate the value of humanism as the core of health care. It provides a powerful emphasis on compassion in combination with scientific excellence. The most important element of the ceremony is the oath that students take in front of family members, school leadership, and their peers to acknowledge their central obligation of caring for the patient. See our photos from the event. 

Each year in March our fourth year medical students discover where they will attend residency training. Our Match Day ceremony brings together our students with family and friends to celebrate this next step in their medical education. Check out our photos or see where our 2017 class matched [pdf]. 

Each year students nominate and select outstanding faculty to share their "Pearls of Wisdom", thoughts and ideas that have made them successful teachers, mentors, and advisors. Awards are also presented to first, second, and third year medical students. See our photos from the event. 

Graduating medical students are celebrated at the Senior Banquet and Awards Ceremony each April. Students and their guests along with faculty, staff, and mentors gather for dinner as we recognize the accomplishments of our students. Funds raised at our Black Tie White Coat Gala are also presented to the School of Medicine Alumni Board and Free Medical Clinic. Funds raised at the gala provide financial assistance to the Free Medical Clinic of Columbia and aspiring physicians through the Alumni Scholarship Fund. See our photos from the event. 

This annual event helps first year medical students find summer volunteer, clerkship and research positions. Participants typically include the University of South Carolina Office of Study Aboard, academic departments and representatives from community organizations.

Commencement exercises will be held annually for our graduating medical students at the Koger Center. The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia and Greenville will be hosting exercises together.