MLS students receive white coats — and inspiration — at ceremony
Members of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Class of 2026 received their white coats on Sept. 19 in a ceremony celebrating a significant milestone in their education journey: the transition to the clinical phase of the program.
Keynote speaker U.S. Air Force Col. Ramil C. Codina, BCS, MS CLS, MT (ASCP), command surgeon of the Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command at Robins Air Force Base, shared his remarks as an alumnus of the program. Codina received his Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences in 1995 from UT Health Science Center at San Antonio.
He praised the caliber of the program and its faculty for training him to be a problem solver and an out-of-the-box thinker.
“You're beginning a career that is often behind the scenes, often in a basement with no windows, in my experience — but absolutely essential,” he said. “You're becoming medical detectives, skilled laboratorians who can analyze everything from blood samples to tissue biopsies and identify pathogens, diagnose diseases and monitor treatment.”
Medical laboratory scientists carry enormous responsibility, with trust placed in them by physicians and patients, he said.
“You're the bridge between complex science and patient care. What does that mean, and why is that so important? Every sample that crosses your bench and every test you perform represents a person: a mother, a father, a child, a friend. Someone whose well-being depends, in part, on the precision and integrity of your work.”
The ceremony, held in the Holly Auditorium and attended by friends and family, highlighted individual students, with a slideshow featuring quotes from each member of the class describing what the white coat means to them as they move closer to their goal of working in a clinical laboratory.
“My white coat represents responsibility, trust and my commitment to grow into a laboratory scientist whose work directly impacts patients’ lives,” read student Nghi Le’s reflection.
Scholarships announced
Scholarship recipients were also celebrated at the ceremony, including Gabrielle Castillo and Mariana Pecina (MLS Endowed Scholarship), Emily Hawley (Texas Association for Clinical Laboratory Science Student Scholarship) and Roberto Torres (School of Health Professions MLS Scholarship, Dorothy Banks Scholarship and Baptist Health Foundation Scholarship).
MLS Program Director Terri Murphy-Sanchez, MS, MLS: CSMLS, ASCPCM, shared parting advice for the students.
“The white coat is more than fabric,” she said. “It symbolizes trust, responsibility and the vital role that you will play in patient care. Wear it with pride, humility and dedication. Remember, every test you perform and every result you report out has the power to change a life.”