HonorHealth helped welcome the inaugural class of the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering at Arizona State University during the school's first White Coat Ceremony on Aug. 7, 2026, in Tempe.
The ceremony marked the beginning of the students’ medical education and a major milestone in HonorHealth’s role as the school’s primary clinical affiliate. Over the next four years, the 36 members of the Class of 2030 will complete most of their clinical training alongside HonorHealth physicians, nurses and care teams.
“As the primary clinical affiliate for this extraordinary school, all of us at HonorHealth are incredibly proud and excited to welcome you into our hospitals and practices over the coming years,” HonorHealth CEO Todd LaPorte told the students.
HonorHealth's involvement began well before the students received their white coats. Approximately 200 of the healthcare system’s clinicians joined the school's faculty to help develop its curriculum and educate the inaugural class.
Todd encouraged the future physician-engineers to embrace advances in engineering, technology and artificial intelligence while remembering that medicine remains fundamentally human.
“Even with all the innovation coming your way, certain things will never change,” he said. “People need caregivers they can trust. They need hope. The bottom line? People need people.”
Together, HonorHealth and ASU are strengthening Arizona’s physician workforce and preparing a new generation of physician-engineers who will combine compassionate patient care with innovation to improve healthcare.
