The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SoPPS) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has held its third White Coat ceremony for fourth-year students.
Themed, “Developing the Future Pharmacist: Competence and Integrity”, the ceremony marked a transition from didactic-based instruction to clinical practice-based learning for the students.
The students, referred to as Rx28, took the Oath of Pharmacy, pledging a lifetime of service in prioritising patient welfare, ethical conduct, and continuous professional growth to relieve suffering and also protect patient information.
In all, 121 Level 400 students were robed in white coats - a knee-length overcoat often recognised universally as a uniform for professionals in the pharmacy field.
The Country Manager of Ghana and West Africa Sales Lead, Cipla Limited, Dr. (Pharm) Mawuli Atiemo, who was the keynote speaker at the ceremony, admonished student Pharmacists to eschew the penchant for money in the profession, saying, "The money will come as a result of solving difficult problems."
Dr. Atiemo urged the students to carry out their duties with integrity and competence, imploring them to regard competence and integrity as lifelong learning.
"As pharmacists, you need to prioritise patient needs. You must know that your integrity will be tested. But I advise you to ensure honesty, transparency, and accountability in all your endeavours," he added.
He advised them to invest in learning Artificial Intelligence and big data as the Pharmacy industry continues to evolve.
He also told the students to demonstrate high ethical values in the performance of their duties to ensure quality healthcare delivery to the citizenry. He said they should show compassion, diligence, empathy and service to all.
For his part, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Denis Aheto, who chaired the occasion, commended the pioneer class of SoPPs, Rx25, for recording 100 per cent in the Ghana Professional Examination.
He said the students had justified, with their excellent performance, that the training of Pharmacists was in capable hands at UCC, and the country would reap the benefits in the healthcare sector.
He described the event as necessary since it imbued in the student pharmacists the virtues of integrity, confidentiality, love, and compassion needed for the work.
He also said that the ceremony enjoined the students of the time-honoured virtues of altruism, responsibility, duty, honour, respect for human dignity, and compassion, symbolised by the white coat.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor further advised the students to take advantage of their clinical period to develop their skills to excel in the medical profession.
He urged the students to take advantage of the MBA in Business to acquire dual degrees, saying the pharmacists could also rub shoulders with business moguls.
The Dean of SoPPS, Prof. Ernest Obese, applauded the support from stakeholders, both internal and external, towards the successful training of the students.
He advised the students to exhibit virtues such as honesty, compassion, diligence and truthfulness in their work.
Prof. Obese assured that SoPPS would continue to produce high-quality pharmacists for the country.
The Registrar, Gideon Enoch Abbeyquaye (Esq), the MCE for Cape Coast, Mr. George Justice Arthur, and the Director of Pharmacy at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Dr. Robert Incoom, took turns to advise the students on the need to carry out their duties with integrity and compassion.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC
