The University of Washington School of Medicine warmly welcomed students from the incoming E25 class at the Seattle and Spokane WWAMI sites with the annual Stethoscope Ceremony. This meaningful tradition marks the beginning of medical school for new students, as they receive their first stethoscopes—a symbolic and practical gift from the UW Medicine Alumni Association. The other WWAMI sites will host their own ceremonies in the coming weeks, with celebrations planned throughout August and September to welcome each new cohort of students as they begin their journey into medicine.
At the Seattle and Spokane events, the ceremonies offered a moment of reflection, encouragement, and celebration. Faculty and alumni addressed the students, sharing words of wisdom and formally welcoming them into the medical profession. The stethoscope, worn around each student’s neck, represents not only the technical skills they will acquire, but also the compassion, integrity, and responsibility expected of them throughout their training.
The stethoscopes themselves carry deep significance—they are gifted by alumni as a gesture of support and solidarity, connecting the incoming class to the generations of physicians who have come before them. This alumni connection is a powerful reminder that while each student’s journey is their own, they are part of a broader community. With every stethoscope, alumni are extending a hand forward, inviting the E25 class into a shared legacy of learning, service, and care that spans decades and regions across WWAMI.
Check out the photo gallery for the Seattle event.