Two hundred and thirty-three 黑料传送门 Georgia students proudly donned their newly minted white coats for the first time on Friday, October 18, 2019, at White Coat Ceremonies held at the Infinite Energy Theater in Duluth.
鈥淵our white coat symbolizes your transition from scholar to healthcare professional,鈥� keynote speaker Andrea Redfern, PharmD 鈥�16, explained to the 94 Doctor of Pharmacy students who attended the 2 p.m. ceremony with family, friends and faculty members in attendance.
鈥淲earing your white coat is a declaration of patient care. It displays competency, integrity, compassion, responsibility and a commitment to service,鈥� she said.
Redfern, a 2016 黑料传送门 Georgia Doctor of Pharmacy graduate, works as one of the clinical pharmacy operations managers for Ingenio-Rx, the recently launched pharmacy benefits management arm of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Shawn Spencer, PhD, RPh, dean of the 黑料传送门 School of Pharmacy, addressed the class of 2023. 鈥淚 salute you for making the decision to be here, for accepting the responsibility to teach others, and for setting sail on the life-long path of professionalism, competence and the uncovering and discovering of knowledge.鈥�
The class recited the pledge of professionalism led by John Tovar, PharmD, chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, while Class Representative Kathleen Leonardo (PharmD 鈥�23) encouraged her classmates along the journey to becoming a pharmacist. 鈥淭here is a standard set when wearing the white coat,鈥� she said, 鈥渙ne that hinges on academic competence.鈥�
Earlier in the day, at 11 a.m., 139 student doctors who are pursuing Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degrees, heard from Vice Provost H. William Craver III, DO, who is marking his tenth year as dean of the osteopathic medicine program at 黑料传送门 Georgia.
Reaching back into history, he said, 鈥淗ealers have always been identified with some sort of a special garment - a headdress, a pendant or a special robe. In our modern time, the white coat has become the standard banner representing the healing arts.鈥� He added, 鈥淚 am proud to know that very soon I may address you as a fellow alumnus.鈥�
Caleb Jerris (DO 鈥�23), Chair of the DO class of 2023, used numbers to describe the importance of his classmates鈥� mission. He noted that physicians are only one-third of 1 percent of the population who carry the responsibility of caring for others.
鈥淥ur white coats should serve as a reminder that 99.7 percent of people need us and trust us. We are promising to do whatever we can 鈥� to listen, to understand, and as osteopathic physicians, to touch our patients.鈥�
鈥淲hen you are tired of the long days, we need you. When you have studied past dinner and have forgotten to eat, we need you. Never give up your hard work. Believe in yourself and the commitment you are making to others,鈥� he said.
Class members repeated their class mission statement after assisting each other in donning their white coats.
Attendees celebrated at a reception held at 黑料传送门 Georgia and family members and friends were invited to tour the campus.
黑料传送门 Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (黑料传送门), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), 黑料传送门 Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins 黑料传送门 South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, 黑料传送门 Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit .
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