Taking it to the next level
The School of Pharmacy bestows the white coat on its first-professional-year students during the traditional white coat ceremony.
The School of Pharmacy has recently celebrated its new promotion of first-professional-year students by bestowing the white coat on each of the 73 students. The school’s sixth annual white coat ceremony took place in the presence of LAU President Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra at LAU Byblos.
The ceremony marks the students’ transition from preclinical studies to clinical health sciences.
SOP Dean Dr. Pierre Zalloua congratulated the “future pharmacists” praising the patience, perseverance and hard work they have demonstrated over the two previous years.
“This is a celebration of your acceptance into the professional pharmacy program but this is also the beginning of your career path,” he told the students. “You will be shortly adorned with a white coat, which represents not only a noble profession, but a profession of humbleness to be conducted with utmost ethical behavior,” he added.
LAU’s School of Pharmacy was accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) in 2002. It is the only ACPE-accredited school of its kind outside of the United States.
Addressing the parents, Dr. Zalloua said, “Your children are now diligently moving into the professional path that you have set with them. This path should lead them to their ultimate goal, to be pharmacists, but they will learn, gain and mature along the way.”
On behalf of their colleagues, students thanked the faculty and LAU for providing them with the most appropriate and professional environment that will allow them to become successful pharmacists.
The student honorees received their white coats from various faculty members at the ceremony.
The white coat ceremony took place at the Selina Korban Auditorium on the Byblos Campus in the presence of LAU officials, SOP faculty and the students’ families and friends.
As the music played, the ceremony concluded with the students reciting the Pledge of Professionalism, which emphasizes on integrity and ethical behavior in clinical practice.
The white coat ceremony is a relatively new ritual in various medical and paramedical practices — including osteopathic, dental, pharmacy and veterinary schools. LAU’s School of Pharmacy held its first in 2007.