Student Doctor Megan Kenner on growth, her peers, and her passion for serving underserved communities.
On Tuesday, May 27, Student Doctor Megan Kenner crossed the stage of Yakima’s historic Capitol Theatre, donning her white coat alongside her fellow PNWU College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) Class of 2027 peers. The 2025 White Coat Ceremony marked a powerful rite of passage for Student Dr. Kenner and her classmates, symbolizing their transition from classroom learning to the clinical experiences that lie ahead.
For Student Dr. Kenner and her peers, the ceremony symbolizes more than just a new uniform; it represents the culmination of two years of rigorous study, self-discovery, and preparation to serve patients across the rural and medically underserved communities of the Northwest.
“I’m very excited to finally be out of the classroom after seven years of upper education,” said Student Dr. Kenner. “I am eager to start applying the conceptual knowledge I have learned. Although all my time for the past two years in the classroom have been meaningful, I’m most excited to physically be doing things every day.”
Student Dr. Kenner, who will be heading to Mount Vernon, Washington, for her clinical rotations, is eager to apply what she’s learned in real-world settings, especially in a community that faces obstacles to accessing care.
“PNWU does a good job focusing on how to care for those who are underserved and in rural areas,” she explained. “For example, we learn what pharmacology treatments are more appropriate in wealthier, urban areas where travel is easier, compared to the most accessible options for those in rural areas who perhaps cannot travel to get blood tests routinely to monitor how their bodies are reacting to medications. In addition, we have talked a lot about taking into consideration cost and insurance.”
In addition to her classroom studies, Student Dr. Kenner learned invaluable lessons volunteering regularly at the Yakima Union Gospel Mission (UGM) Medical Care Center during her first two years at PNWU. There, she worked with patients who were often undocumented, uninsured, or navigating language barriers, learning firsthand about the social determinants of health that shape people’s lives.
All along, her journey has been about more than medicine; “it’s been about becoming a better human,” she explained.
“You don’t connect with people by ‘being a doctor,’” said Student Dr. Kenner. “You connect with people by being a good human to another human.”
That belief has shaped not only how she studies, but how she lives. “I’ve learned that my hobbies are one of the most important parts of who I am — and they help me connect with patients in special ways. I have learned to study smarter, not harder so I have time for the things outside of school that matter to me.”
Looking back, she says her classmates have both inspired and challenged her.
“My cohort has given me hope in humanity because my peers are so inspiring and will care for people extremely well,” she said, adding, “I would want them as my doctor.”
“I’ve also had to work with people who think and feel differently than I do about healthcare,” she added, “and that’s taught me how to collaborate across differences.” As she prepares to represent PNWU in Mount Vernon, Student Dr. Kenner sees her next chapter not only as a personal milestone, but as part of a broader mission.
“I’m excited to move forward,” she said. “We can’t all stay together forever, but at least a few of us are going to the same places. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead.”
While the White Coat Ceremony marks the beginning of clinical education, for Student Doctor Kenner, it also celebrates everything it took to get to this moment — and everything she’s still becoming.
