In a ceremony symbolizing the start of students’ medical journeys, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine welcomed its incoming class of 182 students on Friday, July 25 — including Amarillo native and Palo Duro High School graduate Preston Thipaphay — with the traditional donning of the white coat.
The White Coat Ceremony marks a rite of passage for first-year medical students, serving as a formal induction into the profession. During the event, students are presented with white coats — long recognized as symbols of compassion, trust and responsibility — before reciting the Hippocratic Oath or a similar pledge affirming their commitment to ethical medical practice.
Preston Thipaphay, an incoming medical student at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, receives his white coat during the school’s White Coat Ceremony on Friday, July 25, 2025, in Lubbock.
“This feels good, really,” said Thipaphay, 25. “I’m grateful and honored to be chosen as part of this class. Today is that visual representation of all the goals and promises I’ve worked toward starting to come to life.”
Born and raised in Amarillo, Thipaphay graduated from Palo Duro High School and earned his undergraduate degree from West Texas A&M University, with earlier coursework at Amarillo College. He credited his older brother — a fourth-year student at Texas Tech’s School of Medicine in Amarillo — for inspiring and guiding him into the field.
“My brother paved the trail for me,” Thipaphay said. “He didn’t just show me it was possible — he talked me through the process. I wouldn’t be here without him.”
Thipaphay said the ceremony held deep meaning for his family, especially given the sacrifices his parents and grandparents made to support his education.
“It’s humbling,” he said. “This moment belongs to them, too. I’ve seen how hard they worked for me to have opportunities they didn’t.”
He also described how his experience growing up in Amarillo influenced his desire to pursue medicine and give back.
Preston Thipaphay poses in his white coat following the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center White Coat Ceremony on July 25, 2025.
“I want to serve the people who raised me — people who come from working-class, underserved and minority backgrounds,” he said. “This profession gives me a way to do that.”
His commitment to health care began at a young age, shaped by a positive relationship with his childhood pediatrician.
“He made us feel like more than just patients,” Thipaphay said. “The way he connected with my family made a lasting impression. I want to be that kind of doctor.”
Now a first-year medical student, Thipaphay hopes to specialize in family medicine and eventually return to Amarillo to open a practice alongside his brother.
“The dream is to practice together — right back in the city that raised us,” he said. “That would bring it full circle.”
He said his academic journey through Palo Duro, Amarillo College and WT gave him the confidence and preparation needed to succeed.
“Each place helped shape me,” he said. “Palo Duro built my work ethic. Amarillo College gave me a strong foundation. And WT introduced me to mentors who believed in me.”
Thipaphay said he hopes students from Amarillo and schools like Palo Duro understand that a career in medicine is within reach.
“It’s a grind, but it’s not impossible,” he said. “If you have the heart for it, and you’re willing to push through challenges, you can get there.”
Choosing Texas Tech, he added, was an easy decision — both because of its academic strength and its proximity to home.
“There’s a top-tier medical school two hours away with a branch in Amarillo,” he said. “For someone like me, that made it a no-brainer.”
Preston Thipaphay stands with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center faculty members following the school’s White Coat Ceremony on July 25, 2025, in Lubbock.
As the Class of 2029 begins four years of training, clinical rotations and hands-on learning, the white coat they received serves as both a symbol and a promise — a commitment to service, integrity and the communities they will one day serve.
“This coat doesn’t mean I’ve made it,” Thipaphay said. “It means I’ve started — and I’m ready for what’s ahead.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Preston Thipaphay receives white coat at Texas Tech ceremony