Students were urged to challenge health care norms and forge their own path in the profession as they received their white coats, officially recognizing their entry into the pharmacy profession. A white coat reminds students of their responsibility towards others.
Students representing the Class of 2020 were officially welcomed into the profession last week at the faculty's annual White Coat Ceremony at the Myer Horowitz Theatre.
One hundred and thirty-three students recited the Student Pledge of Professionalism and the Alberta College of Pharmacists Code of Ethics as they officially received their white laboratory coats to become student pharmacists.
The ceremony is an annual tradition celebrated across all pharmacy schools. A white coat reminds students of their responsibility towards others. More than 300 friends and family joined the students on Jan. 20 to celebrate the special day.
Dean Dr. Neal Davies (BSc Pharm '91, PhD '96) challenged them to become better students, pharmacists and citizens by questioning existing health care norms.
"As you prepare to enter into the profession, ask yourselves, as your choices and decisions can impact our nations health, 'Are you satisfied with the current state of the health care system?'" says Davies. "Are you content with level of substance abuse such as the opioids crisis or the fact there is high instance of diabetes among our aboriginal population and a third of school age children are obese? Is it appropriate given our knowledge in this day and age that 25 per cent of Canadians still smoke cigarettes?"
Keynote speaker Ron Pohar (BSc Pharm '95) urged students to find their passion in the profession and follow it. "Respect those who came before you but forge your own path and I challenge each of you to find your own passion and become the next visionaries for the profession," he says.
Pohar noted his career path started out in retail pharmacy but ultimately, it led him to working with patients in the inner city who required help with addictions and mental health issues. He said his first job with the Salvation Army Addictions Centre solidified his passion for working with those marginalized by society and he says he makes a difference every day.
Students like Miray Aizouki understood the significance of the moment and appreciated the advice given to them by those who came before them.
"It was a great experience, and was the first time since graduating high school that I got the chance to walk across the stage like this, and the fact that it's being welcomed into pharmacy makes it that much better," says Aizouki.
"Receiving the white coat on stage allowed me to reminisce on the hard work and challenges that I have gone through to grow as a person and achieve the privilege of being apart of this amazing program. It also marked a beginning for me to seek the many opportunities to continually grow and improve into the healthcare professional that will allow me to provide the patients with best care they need."
For Aizouki, her whole family was able to enjoy the ceremony for a second time - her older sister Marline received a white coat in 2015.
"My family are the ones who have seen me go through the good and the rough patches and have been with me through the whole ride," says Aizouki. "For my parents it's a proud moment. For my younger sisters, it's something that they can look forward to as they take on a career they love in the future, and for my older sister Marline, it's an opportunity to witness and relive this special moment."
Alberta College of Pharmacists' Registrar Greg Eberhart (BSc Pharm '79) concluded the ceremony by leading the students in reciting the Code of Ethics to officially welcome them into the profession.
The White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2021 will take place on Reunion Weekend, September 2017.
View our 2017 White Coat Ceremony photo album on our faculty's Flickr account
One hundred and thirty-three students recited the Student Pledge of Professionalism and the Alberta College of Pharmacists Code of Ethics as they officially received their white laboratory coats to become student pharmacists.
The ceremony is an annual tradition celebrated across all pharmacy schools. A white coat reminds students of their responsibility towards others. More than 300 friends and family joined the students on Jan. 20 to celebrate the special day.
Dean Dr. Neal Davies (BSc Pharm '91, PhD '96) challenged them to become better students, pharmacists and citizens by questioning existing health care norms.
"As you prepare to enter into the profession, ask yourselves, as your choices and decisions can impact our nations health, 'Are you satisfied with the current state of the health care system?'" says Davies. "Are you content with level of substance abuse such as the opioids crisis or the fact there is high instance of diabetes among our aboriginal population and a third of school age children are obese? Is it appropriate given our knowledge in this day and age that 25 per cent of Canadians still smoke cigarettes?"
Keynote speaker Ron Pohar (BSc Pharm '95) urged students to find their passion in the profession and follow it. "Respect those who came before you but forge your own path and I challenge each of you to find your own passion and become the next visionaries for the profession," he says.
Pohar noted his career path started out in retail pharmacy but ultimately, it led him to working with patients in the inner city who required help with addictions and mental health issues. He said his first job with the Salvation Army Addictions Centre solidified his passion for working with those marginalized by society and he says he makes a difference every day.
Students like Miray Aizouki understood the significance of the moment and appreciated the advice given to them by those who came before them.
"It was a great experience, and was the first time since graduating high school that I got the chance to walk across the stage like this, and the fact that it's being welcomed into pharmacy makes it that much better," says Aizouki.
"Receiving the white coat on stage allowed me to reminisce on the hard work and challenges that I have gone through to grow as a person and achieve the privilege of being apart of this amazing program. It also marked a beginning for me to seek the many opportunities to continually grow and improve into the healthcare professional that will allow me to provide the patients with best care they need."
For Aizouki, her whole family was able to enjoy the ceremony for a second time - her older sister Marline received a white coat in 2015.
"My family are the ones who have seen me go through the good and the rough patches and have been with me through the whole ride," says Aizouki. "For my parents it's a proud moment. For my younger sisters, it's something that they can look forward to as they take on a career they love in the future, and for my older sister Marline, it's an opportunity to witness and relive this special moment."
Alberta College of Pharmacists' Registrar Greg Eberhart (BSc Pharm '79) concluded the ceremony by leading the students in reciting the Code of Ethics to officially welcome them into the profession.
The White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2021 will take place on Reunion Weekend, September 2017.
View our 2017 White Coat Ceremony photo album on our faculty's Flickr account