On January 9, the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy welcomed friends and family to celebrate Rx2023, the newest class of pharmacy students.
The White Coat Ceremony is a tradition that originated in medicine and has since been adopted by many health profession programs. New students receive their white lab coats at the event and are inducted into their profession by practicing pharmacists. This year alumni, faculty, and staff helped the members of Rx2023 into their white coats, welcoming them to the profession of pharmacy.
Speakers at the event touched on the various meanings of the white coat. More than just a uniform among health professionals, the white coat is a symbol of professionalism, of the trust that patients put in their pharmacists, and of the passion and competence of the wearer.
To mark Rx2023’s entry into the profession, the students read aloud from the Waterloo Pharmacy Pledge of Professionalism, a code of conduct developed by previous pharmacy classes. Pharmacists in the audience also recited the Ontario College of Pharmacist’s Code of Ethics, providing a reminder of the serious responsibilities involved in being a pharmacist.
We welcome the class of Rx2023 to the School of Pharmacy. These are exciting and changing times in the pharmacy profession, and we look forward to seeing how this class will rise to challenges and become superb health care providers.
The School of Pharmacy is grateful to the sponsors that support this year’s event: Scotiabank and the Ontario Pharmacists Association who generously provided the white coats for students.
