May 25, 2004 2 min read

Matthew R. Evans (center), third-year student at West Virginia School of Medicine, was recently honored at a White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2006. Presentations were made by (left) Dr. David A. Kappel, clinical professor of surgery at Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, and (right) Dr. Robert M. D’Allesandri, dean of West Virginia University’s School of Medicine. Matthew R. Evans, the son of Leon and Maryann Evans of 467 Gans Rd., Lake Lynn, was recently honored during a White Coat Ceremony for the class of 2006 at West Virginia University’s School of Medicine.

The ceremony is designed to help students reaffirm their reasons for choosing medicine as their life’s work.

The ceremony provides the students with a formal way for them to express their commitment to becoming technically excellent and professional compassionate with patients.

It stresses the importance of the doctor-patient relationship and the relevance of the white coat as a “cloak of compassion.”

Evans graduated from Albert Gallatin Senior High School with the class of 1998 and began his education at the West Virginia University the following semester.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in micro-biology from WVU’s College of Arts & Sciences, Evans applied to as many as 10 medical schools from here to Chicago, Ill.

He was accepted at Hanneman in Philadelphia, Temple/Drexel in Philadelphia and also WVU. He decided to stay at WVU for his medical education.

Evans accepted a commission from the U.S. Army and was presented with his lieutenant bars about six months ago. After completing his medical degree at WVU, he will be promoted to captain as part of his graduation ceremony.

He has two sisters, Shelly L. Hodgson and her husband, Brent, and Sandra L. Reicholf and her husband, Mark. He also has five nieces and nephews, Amanda, Ethan, Blake, Delaney and Tanner.