Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 2029 Begins Clinical Rotations Following White Coat Ceremony
The white coat is an outward sign of the commitment of future pharmacists to professionalism, respect, integrity and caring – hallmarks of the pharmacy profession.
"Your profession is grounded in science and facts. Yet there is often confusion in healthcare, and the use of medications and vaccines can be polarizing," said George E. MacKinnon III, PharmD, DMSc (Hon.), MS, RPh, FASHP, FNAP, founding dean and professor. "People will seek you out, in part, because of the white coat you wear, and because pharmacists are highly accessible – with the average person living five miles or less of the nearest pharmacy."
The White Coat Ceremony, held on Oct. 7, marked the official transition from student to student pharmacist.
³ΙΘΛΏμΚΦ students have the unique opportunity to begin clinical rotations early in their journey to becoming a Doctor of Pharmacy. Following the rite of passage at the start of the second session, students participate in weekly clinical rotations every Friday, translating classroom knowledge into skills they develop through experiential learning. During their third and final year of the curriculum, students are outside of the classroom, immersed in various practice settings full time.
The White Coat Ceremony keynote speaker was Kajua Lor, PharmD, BCACP, professor and founding chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences at the ³ΙΘΛΏμΚΦ School of Pharmacy. Reflecting on the 10th anniversary of the School, Dr. Lor recalled being part of the small team wearing hard hats for the ceremonial groundbreaking, developing the curriculum and jotting down ideas on a white board.
"There were countless drafts, accreditation reports, site visits, curriculum maps, revisions to the revisions. And eventually, those words on paper became something real. They became you," said Dr. Lor.
"Look how far we've come. And the most exciting part is this: The next decade belongs to you," she added. "Wear your white coat proudly. Wear it with humility, with curiosity, and with courage. And don't just inherit the profession we built – help us build what comes next."
Ahlam Alwan, 2028 PharmD candidate and president of the Pharmacy Student Alliance, encouraged first-year students to remember the reason they chose the pharmacy profession and use that as their compass.
"There will be difficult days. Days where you're exhausted, overwhelmed and wondering if you're capable of doing this," said Alwan. "You are. Remember – nothing is scarier than avoiding your full potential."
Chance Eiting, PharmD, managing pharmacist at Smith Pharmacy and ³ΙΘΛΏμΚΦ alumnus of the Class of 2026, led the Oath of a Pharmacist. Pharmacists and future pharmacists recite their promise to devote themselves to a lifetime of service, to advance health equity, to hold themselves to a high moral and ethical standard and more.
The day following the ceremony, first-year students, guided by supervising faculty members and ³ΙΘΛΏμΚΦ alumni, administered nearly 350 flu vaccines to members of the Froedtert & ³ΙΘΛΏμΚΦ community.
"The guidance and encouragement from our faculty and alumni allows our students to leave this experience feeling more confident and competent in their vaccine administration skills," said Karen MacKinnon, BPharm, RPh, director of outreach and assistant professor at the ³ΙΘΛΏμΚΦ School of Pharmacy. "Their involvement made a meaningful difference in students' professional development and success."