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Students from the College of Pharmacy Class of 2025 wait to don their white coats. Image by Bryan Clifton

College of Pharmacy Class of 2025 Dons White Coats During Ceremony

Oct. 7, 2021 | The UAMS College of Pharmacy recognized the entering Class of 2025 during its 19th annual White Coat Ceremony. The Arkansas Pharmacists Association has sponsored the event since 2003.

The White Coat Ceremony symbolizes the students’ commitment to the pharmacy profession as well as the transition into the life of a student-pharmacist. It is the first of three milestone events on the class’ path to becoming pharmacists, with the Pinning Ceremony to come during the third year and graduation in the fourth year.

“Allow yourself a bit of reflection and soak in this moment,” said the college’s Dean Cindy Stowe, Pharm.D. “I believe more than ever perspective matters, so I encourage you to take in today and think about where you’ve been and where you’re going. Then, embrace each day in this program.”

The pharmacy students arrived on campus in August to begin their didactic curriculum, which will continue through their third year. The final and fourth year of pharmacy school is the experiential curriculum, which includes advanced pharmacy practice experiences also commonly referred to as rotations.

As the first in-person ceremony that the college has held in two years due to COVID-19, second-year students, Ben Quattlebaum and Amanda Russell coated the students as their friends and family watched virtually.

“In my opinion, 2021 has been the year of the pharmacist. The trust you will earn with community members and the patients will be important to help us get through this pandemic,” said COP alumnus John Vinson, Pharm.D., CEO and executive vice president of the Arkansas Pharmacists Association.

“The efforts of our colleagues have made a difference in saving lives in the field, community settings, ambulatory care settings, nursing homes and hospitals, and it would not be possible without our profession,” added Vinson.

Meghan Breckling, Pharm.D., served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony and encouraged the first-year students to take the opportunity to explore different career options and get involved with student and professional organizations to start building their network, locally and nationally.

“The people who will truly understand the hurdles you are facing during school are actually sitting right next to you,” said Breckling. “If there is one thing, I have noticed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that the pharmacy community here in Arkansas is very willing to lend a helping hand to a fellow colleague in need.”

She continued, “It is incredible how much the profession of pharmacy has grown in recent years, and it will continue to evolve in order to better utilize pharmacists who are trained to provide high quality patient care.”

Third-year student Lindsey Worthington, president of the UAMS Academy of Student Pharmacists, emceed the event and led the students in reciting the pledge of professionalism.