Entrance University of Health Sciences (EUHS), has inducted forty-one (41) Doctor of Pharmacy students into their clinical year at its 4th White Coat Ceremony, marking a pivotal transition from classroom-based learning to hands-on clinical practice.
The ceremony, a significant milestone in the students’ academic journey, formally ushers them into the next phase of their professional training in healthcare facilities. It also publicly affirms their identity as pharmacists-in-training, entrusted with responsibility and patient-centered care.
Welcoming attendees, the Dean of the School of Pharmacy at EUHS described the ceremony as a rite of passage, symbolising both privilege and duty. He emphasised that the white coat represents more than achievement, noting that, “the white coat is not a reward but a charge. It asks you to pursue knowledge relentlessly and never to stop learning. It also asks you to practice with compassion and to remember that every patient is a full human life and not merely a work in progress or a prescription.”
In his address, the President of the University, Prof. Aaron Lante Lawson, underscored the importance of the ceremony as more than a symbolic event. He stated that it represents a solemn commitment to the responsibilities inherent in the pharmacy profession. He highlighted the critical role pharmacists play in ensuring patient safety and advancing quality healthcare delivery.
Prof. Lawson encouraged the students to approach their clinical training with dedication, discipline, and empathy, while applying their academic knowledge to real-world healthcare settings. He further urged them to uphold the values and reputation of the university, reminding them that their conduct reflects not only on themselves but also on the institution and the profession at large.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Irene Kretchy, Dean of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Ghana, challenged the students to see the white coat as a symbol of trust and accountability. She noted that it should go beyond a dress code to represent a covenant with patients and society.
According to her, the white coat serves as a daily reminder that its wearer is committed to acting with integrity, applying knowledge with care, and treating every patient with dignity. She stressed that pharmacists must never reduce patients to mere transactions but must recognise the humanity behind every prescription.
The White Coat Ceremony remains a longstanding tradition in health sciences education, symbolising students’ transition into clinical practice and their commitment to serving humanity with competence, integrity, and compassion.
The inducted students will now embark on supervised clinical rotations across various healthcare facilities, where they will gain practical experience in pharmaceutical care, patient management, and interprofessional collaboration.
This next phase of training is expected to equip them with the essential skills and professional values required to excel as future pharmacists and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare system.
