Students from Batch 20 of our MBBS programme marked a memorable milestone in their medical school journey, as they were honoured during a ‘White Coat’ ceremony today.
Held at the Faculty of Medicine, the ceremony serves as a curtain-raiser for the medical student’s quest to become a physician. The tradition symbolises the grandeur and importance of becoming a doctor, signifying the students’ entrance into the medical field.
The rite of passage is said to have begun sometime between the late 1980s and 1990s, with Columbia University and the University of Chicago holding the first well-documented ceremonies.
Why the white coat? Well, this garment is a visual representation of a physician. We associate the image of a doctor clad in a white coat with integrity, kindness, and dedication to saving lives.
Instead of passing the coat to the students in a package, we wanted them to reflect on the enormous meaning behind the white coat.
The pomp and ceremony are meant to encourage them to think about the effort and sacrifices needed to reach this point—using it to inspire them forward in their journey.
Earlier this week, the Faculty of Pharmacy also held a White Coat ceremony for third-year Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) students ready to venture into the real world as trainee pharmacists.
Today’s ceremony saw the students receiving their coats from Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Dato’ Dr Sellaiah, along with QIU Vice-Chancellor Professor Zita Mohd Fahmi, QIU Chief Operating Officer Nicholas Goh, and faculty leaders.
The students were all smiles, soaking in the atmosphere and commemorating the event with selfies and group photos.
We wish our budding doctors the best of luck during their journey—continue making us proud!
