White Coat Ceremony welcomes Class of 2027

First-year students took the Oath of a Pharmacist as part of the annual DKICP White Coat Ceremony, held Sunday, October 22, on the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo campus, in Hale Kihoʻihoʻi.

Students, and their family and friends, were welcomed by DKICP Interim Dean Miriam Mobley Smith and by UHH Chancellor Bonnie Irwin, who both talked about the valuable roles that pharmacists play in delivering quality healthcare to their communities.

They also heard from Dr. Bindu Sheth, healthcare supervisor of pharmacy and retail operations for Walgreens. She shared her three recommendations for being successful in their studies and future careers in pharmacy – find a mentor, find your passion and get involved and collaborate within the profession.

The keynote speaker was Prabu Segaran, Pharm.D., (DKICP Class of 2013), who now serves as ambulatory care clinical pharmacist for Kaiser Permanente on Maui. He challenged the student pharmacists to study more than intellectually by taking advantage of fieldtrips and outings, recalling an excursion to Molokai that he participated in during his time at DKICP.

Segaran also emphasized the value of play and exploration during their studies, by making connections with fellow students and forming social bonds through fraternities or simply seeing more of the island. Lastly, he encouraged students to be of service to the college, the community and the profession by taking leadership roles while in school, and beyond.

Following the hour-long ceremony, students were congratulated by family and friends at a reception on the Hale Kihoʻihoʻi lanai.