College of Pharmacy White Coat Ceremony
The 51 members of the College of Pharmacy Class of 2027 were officially welcomed to the NEOMED community with the White Coat Ceremony on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023.
The White Coat Ceremony is an annual tradition where incoming students have their fresh, new white coats placed on them by second-year students as a rite of passage as a future pharmacist, and all of the responsibilities that come with it.
“Today’s ceremony provides an opportunity for first-year pharmacy students to reaffirm their commitment to the profession of pharmacy,” said Katherine Tromp, Pharm.D., interim dean of the College of Pharmacy. “It also provides an opportunity for the College to reaffirm our commitment to providing you with a quality education that will start you on your path to becoming transformational leaders in the pharmacy profession.”
First-year students also heard from Cory Coffey, Pharm.D., who was part of the College of Pharmacy Class of 2015. Dr. Coffey was recently honored by the Ohio Pharmacist Association with the Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award.
“The sense of community and camaraderie among students, faculty and staff at NEOMED is truly unmatched, creating an environment that is both supportive and challenging,” Dr. Coffey told the students about his time at the University.
“As you don your white coat for the first time here today, let it stand as a symbol of the knowledge, compassion and dedication that will define your path as a NEOMED student pharmacist,” Dr. Coffey continued. “May it remind you of the profound impact you can have in the lives of countless individuals, and may it serve as a constant source of inspiration throughout your pharmacy career.”
Students then had their fresh new white coats placed upon them, per tradition, by four second-year pharmacy students who were elected to represent the class by their classmates. As students exited the ballroom, they were soon joined by family and friends with warm congratulations for all they have achieved to get to this point, with many more accomplishments on the horizon.
See a photo gallery on NEOMED's Facebook page.