Twenty-Seven students celebrated in The University of the West Indies’ Inaugural Doctor of Pharmacy White Coat and Pinning Ceremony on Thursday, August 31, 2017.
 
The White Coat and Pinning Ceremony is a traditional rite of passage held across many pharmacy programmes internationally to welcome new students to the professional years.  The 2017 ceremony is particularly significant as this group of students will be the first cohort to graduate from The University of the West Indies, Mona as Clinical Pharmacists.
 
Clinical pharmacists work directly and collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals to provide current drug information and recommend appropriate drug therapy that is most effective to patient care. This is based on the clinical pharmacist’s demonstrated knowledge of medication therapy and record of clinical experience. The discipline also focuses on research that contributes to advances in the quality of the health care received by patients and by extension improve the quality of life of patients.
 
Present at the ceremony were Professor Paul Brown who brought greetings and shared his commitment to the ongoing success of the programme, Dr. Paul Singh Pharmacology and Pharmacy Head of Section, Dr. Cameil Wilson-Clarke Programme Director, Doctor of Pharmacy Programme and chairperson.  Dr Radcliff Goulbourne, Registrar of The Pharmacy Council of Jamaica brought greetings and Dr Ernestine Watson, First Vice President Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica was the guest speaker.  She highlighted three points that each student should boldly create their own story, but to do this, they should remember always to: Agree that you can, Believe you are able and to Stand when faced with opposition.
 
Special appreciation is extended to LASCO Pharmaceuticals Ltd. for providing the white coats.  The company was represented by General Manager, Mrs. Hortense Edwards who dressed the students with their new white coats.  Also present from LASCO Pharmaceuticals Ltd was Mr Carl Tracey, Trade Manager.
 
Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences Dr Tomlin Paul, proudly pinned each student during the ceremony and emphasized the importance of student success and the Faculty of Medical Sciences commitment to achieving this goal.