Ireland Wayt
“I am very proud to be from West Virginia and plan to stay here and practice for the rest of my life. This state needs strong leaders to help improve and innovate our healthcare system and provide the best patient care possible. I would be honored to be a part of that team.”
Second-year medical student Ireland Wayt said she knew she wanted to pursue a career in medicine since she was in the fifth grade. Growing up with two physician parents, Wayt was exposed early on to the medical field and drawn to the elements of teamwork and problem-solving that come along with patient care.
Now preparing to receive the white coat that symbolizes her transition into clinical-based training, Wayt shared her excitement for working directly with patients in her home state.
“I am extremely excited to receive my white coat and begin to experience the more hands-on side of medicine,” she said. “I look forward to seeing how the information we have learned on paper translates to a real-world setting.”
A Wheeling, West Virginia native, Wayt said she knew WVU was where she wanted to continue her medical education.
“I am very proud to be from West Virginia and plan to stay here and practice for the rest of my life,” she said. “This state needs strong leaders to help improve and innovate our healthcare system and provide the best patient care possible. I would be honored to be a part of that team and that movement.”
As she looks ahead to her clinical training, Wayt is keeping an open mind about specialties but has a strong interest in dermatology, particularly Mohs Micrographic Surgery. Her passion stems from personal experiences, such as her younger sister’s struggles with eczema and her mother’s vitiligo, sparking her curiosity about skin conditions and their treatments.
“Growing up, I was able to see firsthand the impact these conditions had on my family and how it still affects them today,” Wayt said. “Since then, I’ve always been interested in learning about all of the different types of skin conditions and their potential treatments.”
While she’s eager to step into clinical training, Wayt recognizes the responsibility that comes along with wearing the white coat.
“It’s an honor to receive my white coat because it represents the dedication and hard work that has brought me to this point,” she said. “But it also symbolizes the trust that patients will place in me. I want to make sure I’m as prepared as possible to provide them with the best care possible and make a significant contribution to improving healthcare in my home state.”
With her twin sister completing a physician assistant program and her parents continuing to practice medicine in West Virginia, Wayt hopes to one day work alongside her family while serving the community she calls home.
She will receive her white coat along with the rest of the WVU School of Medicine’s Class of 2027 during the annual White Coat Ceremony at the WVU Creative Arts Center on Saturday, March 15.