South Middlesex Times

Jake Gluckman was initially on a path toward a career in theater, with notable achievements including five callbacks for the lead role in "Dear Evan Hansen" on Broadway and writing a musical about his brother, Sam, who has autism. However, his interest shifted towards medicine after shadowing physicians during his senior year at Yale.

“I realized it was this beautiful intersection of science and the humanities that I was really craving,” he said.

Gluckman’s transition to medicine exemplifies the spirit of the annual White Coat Ceremony at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), which celebrated its newest students on July 26 following a week-long orientation. The ceremony included receiving white coats from faculty members and reciting the Oath of Hippocrates, emphasizing humanism in medical practice.

“It feels very much like a symbol that I've made it and that I'm making a promise to myself, my community, my family and my friends to lead and to pursue this profession with compassion and empathy,” Gluckman stated.

The RWJMS event marked one of two ceremonies welcoming new medical students this summer. Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) will hold its annual Barbara and Norman Seiden White Coat Ceremony on August 8 to recognize 173 incoming students. Rutgers is seeking combined accreditation for NJMS and RWJMS, aiming to create one of the largest public medical schools in the country.

At RWJMS, 165 incoming students were recognized, including Juliana Cantarutti, who aspires to be a pediatric neurologist.

“It’s exciting to be in a room where everyone has a shared goal,” she said, “and also their own unique passions and perspectives about where they want to take medicine.”

Elian Alvarez reflected on his family's sacrifices enabling him to pursue his dream of becoming a surgeon.

“I put that white coat on not only for myself but for my siblings, my mom and dad, and everybody else who has supported me,” he said. “I just hope to make them all proud.”

Amy P. Murtha, dean of RWJMS, encouraged the new class to form a community based on empathy and kindness.

“Today, you commit to our profession, to the joys and challenges of medicine and to treating everyone with respect and honoring their lived experience,” she said. “You also commit to the RWJMS mission to provide high-value, ethical and appropriate medical care.”

Cantarutti's determination grew after sustaining a traumatic brain injury at age 11. Her recovery included rehabilitation at Children’s Specialized Hospital under RWJBarnabas Health.

“More than just prescribing me therapy, my providers cared for my emotional and social needs," she recalled. "That’s what recharged my will to persevere."

Cantarutti later returned as a mentor at Children’s Specialized Hospital while studying neuroscience at the College of William & Mary. She founded For the Ribbons, a nonprofit focused on medical debt relief.

Alvarez's inspiration came from observing his mother’s rheumatologist treat her lupus effectively despite language barriers. He aims to build similar connections with patients through recent experiences as a medical assistant and scribe.

“At first he needed a translator," Alvarez noted about his mother's doctor. "But now he speaks perfect Spanish."

Gluckman earned his B.A. in American studies from Yale with a concentration in theater before creating music programs for pediatric psychiatric patients under professional guidance. He completed further training at Bryn Mawr College and worked at an autism center within Mt. Sinai Health System.

“That paved the way for a yearlong fellowship with Hear Your Song," Gluckman explained about working with children facing serious illnesses through collaborative songwriting.

Keynote speaker Jeanne M. Clark urged students to provide good care universally while learning from patients as they define their paths as physicians.

“Be kind to yourselves, your colleagues and all members of the care team," advised Clark. "This does not mean going easy on people or overlooking mistakes but helping each other do our best respectfully.”