The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has transitioned 122 Doctor of Pharmacy students into the clinical phase of their training at the maiden White Coat ceremony . The ceremony, under the theme: Expanding the frontiers: “Removing the barriers in providing Pharmaceutical Care”, was a rite of passage for the students to obtain practical clinical experiences in their quest to become pharmacists. During the ceremony, faculty members of the School and Preceptors led the process of “Gowning” the students with white coats, which serves as their professional identity in pharmacy practice.

The Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, Dr. Daniel Amaning-Danquah administered the Clinical Oath to the 122 PharmD students belonging to Class of 2025 and Class of 2026. The Dean of the School, Prof. Elvis Ofori Ameyaw in a welcome address, commended the Founding Dean of the School, the late Professor David Darko Obiri, for his efforts in putting structures in place to make UCC School of Pharmacy successful despite his short tenure. He also commended Class of 2025 and 2006 for reaching such a milestone. The Rector of the Ghana College of Pharmacists, Dr. Yvonne Yirenkyiwaa Esseku, delivering the keynote address, commended the students for the strides they had made, and the transition into clinical practice. She urged them to use their clinical practice as a period to carefully identify their interests. She also told the pharmacy students to exhibit high professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

Dr Esseku entreated them to be committed to their work, be pioneers of innovation and be champions of quality healthcare, adding that the future of healthcare was in their hands. The Rector enumerated some of the misconceptions surrounding the pharmacists’ work, pointing out that their work at the hospital was being misconstrued by other professionals. Such erroneous misconceptions, according to her, undermined the effective pharmaceutical care by pharmacists. “These perceptions result in major attempts at pushback which result in significant challenges to effectively provide pharmaceutical care.

In addition, although the career progression for other healthcare professionals following specialization is clear, there is no clear progression plan for pharmacists in private facilities.”, she added. Dr. Esseku, however, entreated the young pharmacists to surmount the challenges and rather keep the attitude of service to humanity as their motivation. She also charged them to take advantage of the opportunities granted to them to build on their knowledge and skills to improve pharmaceutical care in the country. The Rector entreated the Clinical Students to take every opportunity to share their knowledge and provide the skills when called upon. That, she said, would show everyone how critical pharmacists were to the health of the population. She urged them to engage policymakers, healthcare professionals, patients and clients. Dr. Esseku added: “ when this is done, then it can be said that pharmacists are indeed expanding the frontiers and steadily removing barriers to the provision of pharmaceutical care.” She also urged them to remain focused, view their experiences as learning opportunities, to see every obstacle as a problem that had a solution waiting to be discovered. The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana,

Dr. Samuel Kow Donkor, in an address, outlined some ethical dilemmas the student pharmacist would be confronted with in the practice and urged the students to be circumspect in their dealings with the clients. As part of the ceremony, the students presented citations to departments in the School to appreciate their contributions to their training. The inductees pledged to treat their patients with dignity and respect, safeguard their confidence, and serve as their advocates.

Other dignitaries that graced the occasion were the Pro Vice-Chancellor, the Provost of the College of Health and Allied Sciences, the Provost of the College of Distance Education, Deans of the Schools of Medical Sciences, Nursing and Allied Health Sciences. Directors of Directorates in UCC as well as Deputy Registrars, Senior Assistant Registrars and Assistant Registrars of the University were also present during the ceremony.