College of Pharmacy Students Receive Their White Coats

April 19, 2022

The R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy class of 2023 cheers as they prepare to have their class photo taken after their white coat ceremony at Centennial Hall.

For the first time in two years, third-year PharmD students in the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy celebrated with an in-person white coat ceremony to mark the transition from coursework to advanced clinical training. There are 123 students in the class of 2023 who were honored at the ceremony held in Centennial Hall.

Each student’s white coat had a card in the pocket with a message they had written to themselves three years ago during their orientation to the program. “The card has your own words of wisdom that you wrote to yourself during the orientation at the very beginning of your PharmD program. We hope you take the time to reflect on your words and find encouragement for your journey,” said master of ceremonies Jeannie K. Lee, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, FASHP, assistant dean of student services and associate professor.

Dr. Lee noted the challenges of the past two years with the pandemic and “how it tested our resilience, and you met those challenges with strength, compassion and fortitude. As you complete your third year of PharmD didactic work and begin your fourth-year rotations, you are transitioning from the learning environment of the classroom to the health care environment to be part of a remarkable profession.”