College of Pharmacy Class Pumped to Get White Coats

On Friday, Aug. 21, when freshly minted PharmD students put on their white coats in Kresge Auditorium, there was a card in the pocket indicating who in their pharmacy family sponsored their coat.

For those who choose, the card also indicates an opportunity for mentorship and a connection with someone who has been there, and been successful, to answer their questions as they begin to navigate pharmacy school.

This year’s white coat ceremony, with 95 new pharmacy students, marks the first time that the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy partnered with alumni, faculty and friends to get each coat sponsored, with coats sponsored by  75 alumni, faculty and friends.

"I would not be where I am today without the great education and scholarships I received. I want others to have the same opportunities that I did,” said alumnus Chris Forg, PharmD (’10), who sponsored a coat.

The white coat is a symbol of knowledge, wisdom and status in health care. For pharmacy students, it represents the first step on the road to becoming a pharmacist—a road filled with rigorous classroom and experiential learning experiences, both of which are needed for a competent and compassionate health care provider. Along this path they will come across many who will impact and influence their professional and personal growth.

"When I put my white coat on, I feel confident that pharmacy is what I am meant to do and that I am helping people every day,” recalls fourth-year PharmD candidate Kelly Laake.

The class of 2019 had an average GPA of 3.5 and PCAT score of 72. Twenty-three percent of the class is made up of minority students. More than half of the class are Ohioans and 56 percent hail from UC. Females outnumber  males 54 percent to 46 percent.