Published on October 13, 2014 by Katie Stripling  
white coat ceremony

Members of Samford University's McWhorter School of Pharmacy Class of 2018 were recognized during the school’s annual White Coat ceremony on Friday, Oct. 3 at Shades Mountain Baptist Church.

The ceremony included a presentation of a white coat to each student and students reciting the American Pharmaceutical Association's Pledge of Professionalism. Students were presented their white coats by the pharmacist or pharmacy student of their choice. Coaters included numerous McWhorter School of Pharmacy alumni as well as parents, siblings, employers and other professional and student mentors.

“Today is a celebration of your academic success and is the first of many milestones in your career,” said pharmacy dean, Dr. Michael A. Crouch in his address to the students. “With the presentation of the white coat, we welcome you to the profession.” 

The induction ceremony was led by Dr. Crouch and pharmacy professors Dr. John Arnold, Dr. Jennifer Beall and Dr. Amy Broeseker. Rebecca Jones Sorrell, President of the Alabama Pharmacy Association and Louise Jones, Director of the Alabama Pharmacy Association also participated in the inductions.

In August the 119-member class, which includes students from 11 states and one foreign nation, began a four-year professional curriculum that leads to a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. The students completed two or more years of undergraduate coursework prior to entering pharmacy school.

In closing, Crouch urged students to embrace the opportunity to transform lives through pharmacy. He challenged the future pharmacists to embrace a simple principle, “It’s not about you,” he said, encouraging students to give priority to the needs of patients, colleagues and others before their own. “People and patients will be better because of your servant leadership and willingness to help others. Compassion is the link between knowledge and making a difference.”  

For more than a decade Rite Aid has sponsored the school’s White Coat ceremony. Jeff Church, McWhorter School of Pharmacy class of 1995 alumnus, attended the ceremony on behalf of Rite Aid.   

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.