Doha: Qatar University (QU) College of Pharmacy (CPH) students recently marked a significant milestone in their education and training through the 13th Annual White Coat Ceremony, where 33 first-year students recited the ‘Oath of a Pharmacist,’ signed a pledge of professionalism and received their white coats.
The students promised to uphold the values of integrity, ethical behaviour and practice of the pharmacy profession.
More than 200 people attended the ceremony including the Chairman of Al Faisal Holding, H E Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani; QU President, Dr. Hassan Rashid Al Derham; Canadian Ambassador to Qatar, Stefanie McCollum; CEO of Qlife Pharma, Dr. Ahmed Hamad Al Mohannadi, who delivered a keynote speech, and QU’s Vice-President for Medical and Health Sciences, Dr. Egon Toft.
In addition, representatives from Hamad Medical Corporation, Sidra Medicine, Primary Health Care Corporation, Ebn Sina Medical, CPH alumni and CPH faculty also attended and helped in cloaking the students during the ceremony.
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani reflected on how Qatar was able to combat the blockade to become self-sufficient. He also stressed the importance of the pharmacist’s role, emphasising its significance in the development of Qatar’s society. Sheikh Faisal wished CPH students the best and said that with their graduation, Qatar would be able to manufacture its own medicine and become an exporting country in many fields.
During the ceremony, Dr. Hassan Al Derham honoured Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani in recognition of his continuous support to CPH since 2011. Sheikh Faisal then presented the Annual Ebn Sina Awards to the highest achieving students for each professional year: Samaher Alshaibi, Sara Hussein, Somaya Koraysh, Menatallah Rayan and Ruba Sulaiman. In addition, Pharmacy Director at Al Wakra Hospital Dr. Rasha Al Anany was honored at the event and won the Special CPH Recognition Award for her significant contributions to the pharmacy profession in Qatar. The college also recognized five CPH students who recently scooped nine awards at the 65th International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation World Congress (IPSF), which took place recently in Kigali, Rwanda.
Dr. Hassan Al Derham addressed the students saying, “The College of Pharmacy has always been known for its excellence and leadership in the region. We have great faith in the quality of education provided to our students and the college’s ability to graduate competent pharmacists, in alignment with Qatar University’s strategy. Congratulations to the Class of 2023 on this step and I wish you the best in your career path.”
Stefanie McCollum, said: “What an honour to be included in such a joyous ceremony. I wish the graduates of 2023 the best of luck on their journey in this quality program, which is accredited by the Canadian Council for the Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP).”
The Vice-President for Medical and Health Sciences and Dean of the College of Medicine at QU, said: “This day symbolises significant progress for new students in the health profession and highlights their achievements to make them prepared for their future career as providers of optimum health care.”
The College of Pharmacy Dean, in his welcome remarks, highlighted the college’s achievements from the previous academic year and addressed the incoming students, “Being the only College of Pharmacy in Qatar, we are committed to feeding the market with qualified pharmacists to provide optimal pharmaceutical care and advance health care outcomes. This comes in alignment with the Qatar National Strategy for human development.”
