Keeping with the time-honoured tradition of medical science practitioners around the world, Quest International University’s (QIU) Faculty of Pharmacy recently convened its White Coat Ceremony for third-year Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) students ready to venture forth into the real world as trainee pharmacists.
This august event, held at the University’s state-of-the-art teaching space: Edu Hub, marked a momentous rite of passage for students desiring to build careers in public health and service.
Historically, the white coat ceremony has signified a clear transition from classroom learning to the foundational stages of a pharmacy career, in this case, a seven-week industrial attachment designed to refine our students’ pharmaceutical skills on the front line of their chosen profession.
The highlight of the event was Dean Datuk Dr Allan Mathews presenting each student with the eponymous garment and helping them put it on, following which they received a commemorative lapel pin bearing the faculty logo.
Next, the students joined in a solemn oath concerning their internships and formally signed its corresponding document as proof of their commitment to conduct themselves with the utmost professional and ethical integrity.
Afterwards, the faculty’s deputy deans, Professor Dr Syed Atif Abbas and Associate Professor Dr Ng Yen Ping, together with senior academics, Associate Professors Dr Abdullah Khan and Dr Mahboob Mahammad’s Kanakal, shared the vital best practices students should follow during their internships to leverage the experience into a firm scaffolding for future success.
In his keynote speech, Datuk Allan said the ceremony “signifies the sense of professionalism, the commitment to healthcare, and the need to uphold the good name of the University.” He added that budding pharmacists should not narrow their career prospects to pharmacies, since the range of careers that require their talents and abilities is vast: research and development, formulation, production and quality control, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, product management, product sales and marketing, etc.
Also gracing the occasion was guest speaker Mr YS Chua, a noted industrial pharmacist and formerly managing director of some of the biggest names in the business – GSK, MSD, AstraZeneca, DKSH – who motivated the students with his career wisdom and canny tips on the job market.
We at QIU have always and unreservedly believed that our students are the University’s greatest ambassadors: the eminent custodians of our reputation, the shining proof that our brand of experiential learning yields life-changing results.
Now, as our pharmacy third-years start the next chapter in their pursuit of professional growth, we wish them the very best and hold no doubt they will continue to wave the flag of excellence wherever they go!
