One hundred and twenty-three (123) level 400 students of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS), University of Cape Coast have been transited from the study of preclinical to clinical health services at a White Coat Ceremony. 

The Ceremony involves a formal robing of the students in doctors’ traditional wear, the white coat, which symbolises professionalism and compassion in patient care.

The students also took the medical Students’ Oath which read in part that they will practice medicine to the highest standards of conduct and seek what was best for their patients without allowing greed, stinginess and the desire for great reputation to corrupt them. 

 A former Dean of the SMS, Prof. Ivy A. E. Ekem, administered the SMS Oath to the students. 

The visibly elated students received rapturous applause from management, lecturers, parents, relatives and friends as they donned the white coats emblazoned with their names. 

At the ceremony,  the Chief Executive Officer of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Dr. Eric Kofi Ngyedu, in a brief remark, congratulated the students on completion of the basic science portion of medicine and advised them to show respect and compassion towards their patients without discrimination.

The CEO added that every patient had the right to be given quality health care with due recognition and respect. 

Dr. Ngyedu told the students to be guided by the ethics of the profession and reminded them of the oaths that they had sworn to serve.

Dr Akosua Owusu Sarpong, Central Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), on her part, urged the students to take their studies seriously to support the medical services in the country.

She asked the students to join group discussions to learn from their peers and also religiously study ethical practices, as well as customer care.

"Treat patients humanly by adopting Customer care" she added.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rosemond Boohene, who chaired the Ceremony, challenged them to build on the frontiers of knowledge.

"We want to see our medical students understanding that they have to prepare for technology that has not been invented, jobs that have not been created, challenges that have not been seen" she added.

She encouraged them to justify the investment made in them by their parents and guardians.

As a gesture of goodwill, the students presented assorted items to the various departments under the SMS.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC