White, bright future

LAU School of Pharmacy marks the 20th anniversary of the first white coat ceremony in the world, as its students move up to the next level.

November 7, 2013

Dr. Imad Btaiche addressing the audience.

LAU officials, faculty, family and friends attending the ceremony.

Dr. Jad Al Abdallah (first row, on the right) was announced as the assistant of the Dean of Students, in the School of Pharmacy.

Christine El Khoury playing Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake as the white coats were distributed.

A group picture of the pharmacists-to-be and LAU officials.

It was under the motto “pursuit of knowledge, building trust and creating positive change” that the School of Pharmacy held its white coat ceremony on October 18 at LAU Byblos.

In the presence of LAU officials, faculty, family and friends, this year’s ceremony celebrated the promotion from preclinical studies to clinical health sciences of 64 first-year pharmacy students, awarding them the white coats that will mark their future careers.

“This ceremony symbolizes a commitment to professional obligations, ethical behavior, compassionate care and scientific pursuits,” said Dr. Imad Btaiche, interim dean of the school.

Encouraging students to take an inquisitive and information-seeking approach to learning, he declared: “The fast-paced discoveries and new evidence that emerge in health sciences make it imperative for us to keep abreast of all that is happening.” Continuing, “What is more important is to allow ourselves to question what we hear and what we read. Do so with an inquisitive mind by asking who, what, when, where, why, and how? With curiosity comes innovation and that is how human progress begins.”

For the two class representatives, Lara Sabella and Roland Massaad, the students have to put the past behind and the competition aside “because once we wear the LAU Pharmacy white coat, we will be as one, standing side by side, creating new memories to last a lifetime.”

With their colleagues, Sabella and Massaad continued the long-held tradition and showed their commitment to upholding the core values of the profession by swearing the oath.

Btaiche’s final words were left to resonate as the most anticipated part of the ceremony - the distribution of the white coats to the dramatic soundtrack of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake played on the piano by student Christine El Khoury - began. “You are the most powerful elements of change. You are talented, full of hope and positive energy and have a great education, all of which can light your way to a brighter future,” he stressed. “You can create the change that you want to see.”

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