HMSOM White Coat Ceremony Welcomes Ninth Cohort of Students
The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine has officially welcomed the latest cohort of promising medical students at its White Coat Ceremony, held at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark yesterday.
The 162 incoming students making up the 2026 Cohort, put on the white coat symbolizing their journey toward their medical degrees (M.D.s) which they will work toward over the next four years, or an accelerated three-year track.
The cohort was selected from a highly competitive pool of nearly 6,500 applicants. Nearly two-thirds — 65.6 percent—of the incoming students are New Jersey residents. The cohort reflects a wide range of backgrounds, with students collectively speaking 27 languages beyond English.
Since welcoming its inaugural cohort of 60 students in 2018, HMSOM has steadily grown in numbers and in accomplishments. Last month the largest-to-date class of 168 doctors graduated. The institution has now trained more than 500 doctors.
Students at HMSOM benefit from a unique curriculum that includes the option for a fourth year focused on graduate study, immersive clinical experience, or research. A cornerstone of the program is the Human Dimension course, a longitudinal experience that connects students with families in the community—offering hands-on, real-world insight into healthcare beyond the hospital setting.