The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) presented 74 students, comprising its class of 2023, with their professional white coats during the 15th White Coat Ceremony held Friday, Sept. 20 in the Morris University Center’s Meridian Ballroom.
The official garment acknowledges the students’ important entrance into the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program. During the ceremony, the students expressed their commitment to the service-focused profession by reciting the Pledge of Professionalism.
“Today’s ceremony symbolizes passage into the first phase of the life-long educational process that you will need as a pharmacist,” said SOP Dean Mark Luer, PharmD, FCCP. “Advances in medicine will dictate that you repeatedly hit that refresh button on your knowledge base. Fortunately, your time in the School will not just prepare you to become a licensed pharmacist in 2023, but it will also ready you for the self-regulation and learning that will be required over the subsequent decades.”
The white coats symbolically represent the class of 2023’s transition from students to student pharmacists.
The evening’s keynote speaker was Dr. Oliver Mafla-Mills, an SOP alumnus. He is currently the director of scientific affairs for Pharmacy Times Continuing Education where he develops continuing education programming.
Photo: The SIUE School of Pharmacy Class of 2023.