Jefferson College of Pharmacy Class of 2029 & New Dean Welcomed at White Coat Ceremony

Oct. 10 marked a particularly special day on the Jefferson College of Pharmacy calendar. Around Philadelphia, pharmacy students promoted the field through community service initiatives, and the College officially welcomed its new dean and the Class of 2029 at its White Coat Ceremony.

“I’m absolutely delighted, honored and grateful to be the next dean of the College of Pharmacy,” says Dr. Anandi Law, thanking Dr. Mary Hess for her role as interim dean.   

In greeting the new students and their loved ones, Dr. Law emphasized the noble and fulfilling nature of the versatile, patient-centered field.

“You have opportunities in all specialties and areas,” she says. “Pharmacy crosses health care and humanity. The white coat signifies the professionalism and trust that patients seek in you.”

Inside Connelly Auditorium, the Class of 2029 ceremoniously donned their white coats for the first time, including Noah Boast. Working as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens for over a year reinforced his passion for health care and helping the community.

“You’re the first line and most-accessible healthcare worker for the general public,” he says. “It’s a unique opportunity to impact people’s lives.”

Classmate Thavie Inthaphone says starting pharmacy school allows her to feed her love of science and assisting those in need.

“It feels monumental,” she says. “I never thought I would be at this point. It’s truly an honor.”

Pharmacy student Masoud Salim reflected on the milestone day as well. “It’s the first step of the long journey in my career,” he says. “I’m surrounded by great classmates and faculty who push me every day.”

During the ceremony, Dr. Hess shared how the faculty chose October to hold the White Coat Ceremony in honor of American Pharmacists Month, a time to celebrate all pharmacists’ contributions to society.

The professor of pharmacy practice also stressed the importance of donning the short white coat with pride, as it symbolizes the field’s highest ideals.    

“When you wear your coat, you’re received as a professional with knowledge, expertise and ethics,” Dr. Hess says. “Thus, the coat is a reward for your commitment and dedication and serves as a testament of your progress toward achieving this degree.”  

During the ceremony, pharmacy students also recited the Oath of a Pharmacist, led by class chair Shiv Patel, and listened to talks by faculty and industry leaders.

Assistant Professor Dr. Faith Sears discussed the pharmacist’s role in the opioid crisis. All students left with a box of naloxone to carry in their white coats. The lifesaving medication can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

“You’re affirming the oath to always act in service of others,” she says. “You’re rising to the occasion and standing up to the challenge we face today in the wake of the opioid epidemic. It’s a reminder that our responsibilities extend beyond dispensing medication. We’re not pill pushers. We’re educators, advocates, first responders and stewards of harm reduction.”

In the keynote address, Dr. John Lewin III congratulated the Class of 2029 and reminded them: “In pharmacy, the patient’s outcome is the mission,” he says. “Every prescription, every counseling session, every clinical decision is about achieving the best possible results from that patient’s drug therapy. Nothing will fill your bucket more than seeing a patient get better because of something you did.”

Dr. Lewin also spoke earlier at the nearby Foerderer Auditorium in front of the entire College of Pharmacy community. He discussed achieving innovation at the intersection of readiness and opportunity. Before recently becoming the vice president of pharmacy services at ChristianaCare, he served as chief medical officer at On Demand Pharmaceuticals, overseeing more than $80 million of government-sponsored research and development contracts.

The day also featured pharmacy students promoting the profession around Philadelphia, including tables at Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Jefferson Methodist Hospital. At Jefferson Plaza, outside the Honickman Center, dozens of students presented posters on topics like women in medicine, harm reduction and HPV.

Student Tanya Abillar shared information on the pharmacists’ role in treating infections and antibiotic use.

“Since I started pharmacy school a few years back, it has changed my life,” she says. “I’ve learned the pharmacy field has so much to offer with careers in every corner of clinical inpatient specialties, administration, community and ambulatory care.”