Southern Miss Doctor of Audiology Students Earn White Coats

The Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences' Doctor of Audiology program at The University of Southern Mississippi presented white coats to seven students during its annual ceremony held April 14^th in the Thad Cochran Center on the Hattiesburg campus.

The White Coat Ceremony is an annual tradition involving third-year doctoral students in audiology who receive their white coats while surrounded by University faculty and staff, family, and friends. The ceremony celebrates the end of the academic education for the students and the transition to extensive clinical training during a nine-month externship.

Those earning white coats include: Chelsea Butler, Chase Pace, Mollie McKay, Rachael Luckett, Katelyn Meek, Savannah McGahey, and Mary Katherine Hendry. These outstanding students were awarded their White Coats by Dr. Karen Coats, Dean of the USM Graduate School.

These students will be completing externships in the Veterans Health Care Systems in Phoenix, Ariz., Memphis, Tenn., North Mississippi ENT Physicians, Premiere Hearing in Mobile, Ala., The University of Mississippi Speech and Hearing Clinic, Allergy and ENT Associates of Middle Tennessee, and the Hoover Hearing Clinic in Birmingham, Ala.

“We as a faculty are extremely proud of what this group of students has accomplished thus far. We expect great things from them and look forward to seeing their impact on our profession,” said Dr. Kimberly Ward, Audiology Clinical Education Coordinator.

For more information on the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and the Doctor of Audiology program, please visit www.usm.edu/shs .