TAMPA, Fla. -- Fifth-graders at Dunbar Elementary School earned their very first white coats on Monday morning. 

Groups of students dressed in medical scrubs took part in a white coat ceremony with local leaders, school board members, doctors from the community, and their parents in attendance. These students, who have medical topics in their daily curriculum, wear scrubs each Monday for 'Medical Monday' and now have white coats to match.

The idea is that by introducing medical sciences to these students at a young age, more will be inspired to follow careers in the medical field. 

Emari Young, 10, has been attending Dunbar Elementary since kindergarten. He has career goals of becoming a veterinarian he says he's already working towards. 

"I want to learn about different animals and study multiple species of animals," he said. 

During the ceremony Monday, Mayor Jane Castor dressed Young in his first white coat after addressing the students. Her words stuck with Young.

 "I think what mattered most to me was what the mayor said, how to pursue your dreams and never give up," he said. 

Dr. Emile Commedore estimates that only about 4% of medical professionals are people of color and feels that's a statistic that needs to change. 

"We have significant shortages and we're not going to get there unless we get more people involved in it," he said. 

Commedore, among other medical professionals, attending the ceremony in hopes of inspiring the students and encouraged them to ask questions. 

This is the school's second white coat ceremony.