The American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine (FM) held its annual White Coat Ceremony, a rite of passage that welcomes students into medical profession, on June 1, 2015 at Issam Fares Lecture Hall. The annual tradition at AUB, known as the White Coat Ceremony, is organized for medical students, just before they start their clinical training at the beginning of their third year.
This year 100 AUB FM third year medical students gathered for the ceremony which marked the official start of their careers as medical students, in the presence of AUB and AUBMC faculty members and distinguished guests. They donned their white coats for the first time and recited their Medical Oath, in the Spirit of Hippocrates, a symbol of clinical service and care.
Raja N. Khuri Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Vice President for Medical Affairs, Mohamed H. Sayegh welcomed the audience and reminded the class of 2015 that taking care of patients to the highest standards of care and compassion should always be a priority. He said, “In caring for your patients always remember that the best care is not simply about following the proper protocols, remaining abreast of the most current advancements and paying attention to the details – it is about doing so with humility, compassion, and concern.”
In her keynote address, lawyer and legal counsel Maitre Adele Bassam Halabi praised AUBMC and its staff for the impeccable role they played in saving her father’s life. She said, “We came to AUBMC because we believed that we will get the best medical care…what we got was certainly that but not only that…we got compassion; we got guidance; we got support… Without them, dad would’ve probably survived the stroke but wouldn’t have recovered physically and morally so fast.”
Dr. Thalia Arawi, Founding Director of the Salim El-Hoss Bioethics and Professionalism Program at the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine gave a presentation on the rapid development of medical technology and the evolution of the Hippocratic Oath. She welcomed the students to the profession of medicine and said, ”You are pledging to lead a life marked by ethics, honor and professionalism as a student and soon, a physician.”
The students were given the SHBPP AUBFM Humane Medicine Pin and an attached card in the pockets of their white coats, which reminded them “Medicine is empathy, curing and caring.”
The ceremony is a ritual that reminds students of their commitment to the highest standards of patient care to assume the responsibilities that come with the profession of medicine, a profession distinguished by its selflessness and dedication to the help of others.
