NUS Medicine welcomes Class of 2022 at the White Coat Ceremony
Published: 14 Aug 2017
Medical freshmen of the Class of 2022 gathered at the University Cultural Centre on 10 August 2017 for the White Coat Ceremony. The traditional robing ceremony is a rite of passage for medical students worldwide and was adopted by the School in 2008.
Associate Professor Yeoh Khay Guan, Dean, NUS Medicine welcomed the students to the medical fraternity and previewed what the students can expect in the next five years at NUS Medicine.
Faculty members then helped the students don their very first white coats, which serve to remind the students of their solemn responsibilities and roles as doctors in training. In her address, Guest-of-Honour, Professor A Vathsala told the students that by accepting the white coat, they are making a commitment to integrity and be professionals in whom patients place their trust.
She added, “Beyond competence, the practice of Medicine is a moral endeavour that demands integrity and high ethical standards among other key attributes. Attributes such as altruism, accountability and duty, excellence, confidentiality and respect will go far in winning the patient’s trust. All it takes is one act that demonstrates abuse of power, misrepresentation of information, sexual harassment, arrogance, lack of conscientiousness or greed, to lose the trust of the patients.”
The event ended with the recital of the Medical Student’s Pledge, led by Mr Ivan Low Jinrong, Phase V student and President of the NUS Medical Society.
