A transitory ceremony for 123 medical students of the University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences from the pre-clinical stage to the clinical stage of their training has been held at the university of Cape Coast.
The event, dubbed “White Coat Ceremony” is a medical ritual that involves a formal robing of students in a doctor’s traditional white coat to transition them into the noble profession.
UCC’s medical school is the only school in the country which performs the White Coat ceremony and the wearing of the white coat symbolizes great responsibility to humanity” and also to remind them of the enormity of the challenges and task ahead of them to prepare adequately to face it.
The 13th White Coat ceremony saw the students reciting the medical oath to abide by the ethics of the medical profession which read in part “I will practice to the highest standards of conduct by doing what is best for my patients and allowing neither greed nor stinginess nor desire for great reputation to corrupt me”.
Addressing the students, the Central Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Akosua Owusu Sarpong urged the students to work hard so they can succeed at graduating from the University as doctors.
According to her, achieving this feat will place them in a better position to help promote equitable distribution of doctors in the Central Region and in Ghana as a whole.
“I urge on to learn hard to come out as doctors. Because as a highly skilled professionals, we need doctors to ensure quality and accessible health services to the populace that we serve”, she stated.
Dr. Owusu Sarpong indicated that currently in the Central Region, doctor to patient ratio stands at one doctor to 5490 patients.
She said geographical equity index which measures the distribution of doctors in the Region stands at 0.31 instead of 1.
She said this shows that the region does not have equitable distribution of doctors.
“Please learn hard and then, come and support the health systems in the country”, she appealed to the students.
The Chief Executive Officer of Cape-Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH), Dr. Eric Kofi Ngyedu indicated the efforts his outfit is making to make the continuous training of doctors possible.
Currently, there are 102 level 600 students, 115 level 500 students and 123 level 400 students totalling 337 undergraduate students currently undertaking their training at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. I want to assure you that Cape Coast Teaching Hospital is currently expanding on its infrastructural based to support training.
He therefore applauded the University management and the School of Medical Sciences for sustaining the ‘White Coat Ceremony’ which has churned out over 564 medical students in the various fields since the formal inauguration in 2008 and the inception of the ceremony in 2009.
“I will like to use this opportunity to congratulate the University of Cape Coast, School of Medical Student for sustaining this very important and beautiful ceremony. I will like to especially congratulate all the Deans, past and present. We as stakeholders appreciate you and observe your sterling leadership and contribution to developing the School of Medical Sciences in collaboration with the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital”, he stated.
Source: Rosemond Asmah/ATLFMNEWS
