UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST TO GRADUATE MEDICAL DOCTORS NEXT YEAR

By: April Shacklock

 The School of Medical Sciences of the University of Cape Coast will next year  graduate her first batch of Medical Doctors in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

The Vice Dean Prof. Gladys Amponsah, has disclosed that She made this known at third White Coat Ceremony which saw 48 students making the transition from medical student to medical professional. 

The White Coat Ceremony is a symbolic action of robing the students in a traditional white doctor’s coat to mark the beginning of their progression into clinical health sciences. The students will be starting their placements at the Central Regional Hospital this week. The White Coat Ceremony originated in the USA in 1989, but has since become tradition across the world and UCCSMS is proud to be hosting its third White Coat Ceremony, especially as it is the only institution in Ghana to carry out these ceremonies.

The service not only celebrated the fresh students who were about to embark on their journey, it also celebrated the huge success of the current medical students who are already working in hospitals. To put the students’ anxiety at ease they were assured that those who received their white coats in 2010 and 2011 have successfully completed their years of clinical placements.

The Dean of UCCSMS, Professor Harold S. Amonoo-Kuofi also gave an inspiring welcoming speech to both the students and the audience. There was a large audience for the event, compiled of members of faculty, distinguished members of the health service, as well as press and family members of the students. The Dean outlined the significance of the white coat and what it should represent to its beholder. The white coat creates an image of having a serious purpose, their medical duties. When wearing a white coat, a person should feel honoured and compassionate towards every patient. Most importantly, it is a visual reminder of the pledge, ‘do no harm’.

The audience was offered an insight into the learning process of the medical students, as the Dean explained how they manufacture their modules to have sophisticated, problem-based learning at the centre to promote critical thinking. They are also particularly proud of their unique module, Personal & Professional Development. This teaches students the highest standard of both ethics and education. Students and graduates of UCCSMS will always act in their patients’ best interests. The university programme is designed to simultaneously promote physical, emotional and intellectual growth in their scholars through working autonomously and as a team.

It was clear to see why UCCSMS is one of the best schools in Ghana and why they have reason to be so proud of their facilities and students. They have invested in everything possible including; quality books in the library, ICT services, wifi, high-level laboratories and an e-learning platform. In fact, UCCSMS’s reputation is exceeding the borders of Ghana, many West African countries dream of having facilities such as those at UCCSMS. Recently, a new medical school in Nigeria took a copy of UCCSMS’ blueprints in order to be able to exactly replicate the standard of learning in their school.  UCCSMS really is a pioneering institution Cape Coast should be honoured to possess.

Thigh quality of teaching and facilities in UCCSMS will provide the students with the knowledge and experience to practice medicine anywhere in the world, although we hope our students will want to stay in Cape Coast and improve the lives of our community. 

The ceremony also welcomed guest speaker, Dr. Eric Asamoah, who is part of the Medical and Dental Council in Ghana. His speech was a fantastic representation of the entire ceremony, a celebration conducted with good humour and respect towards the medical profession. He described the relationship between doctor and patient as a ‘social contract’. The patient entrusts the doctor with their body and mind, in return the doctor promises their good will, knowledge and medical services. After all you cannot succeed as a doctor on good grades alone, you must also be able to build a relationship and show compassion towards your patient. Amongst all the medical professionals who spoke during the ceremony, compassion was a key word in their explanations of acceptable practice.

Dr. Eric Asamoah also reminded us that although medicine has come a long way, for example the suppression of Smallpox, there is still a lot of work to be done by our health service with diseases such as AIDS and tuberculosis in our country.

Finally, the students were ready to receive their coats from their mentors after hearing the informative and inspiring speeches of the chairman, Dean and the guest speaker. The faces of the mentors were filled with pride and expectation, whilst the students showed their gratitude at being able to be part of the ceremony. From now on, whether literally wearing the white coat or not, these people will think and act like medical professionals.

Dr. E. K. Atipui then administered the School of Medical Sciences Medical Students’ oath. The students vowed to practice, cultivate, remember, cherish, respect, and be compassionate. The future of Ghana’s health service was in that room promising to help us now and in the future, it was a moving experience to witness such devotion.

Central Press spoke to one student after the ceremony to see how she felt now she had officially been given her white coat. Jemima Owusuaa Yeboah said she felt ‘excited and was looking forward to working in the hospital as a professional and hardworking doctor’. These feelings were shared by all the students at the ceremony, any nerves or uncertainties were buried beneath their passion to succeed.  

UCCSMS’s third White Coat Ceremony was an opportunity for the school to show the public the prestigious progressions they are making as well as to celebrate the success of the Class of 2015. We wish the students good luck in their future studies and look forward to celebrating their graduation in three years!