Trinity Class of 2021 receives White Coats

The Trinity School of Medicine 2017 summer white coat ceremony for the Class of 2021 was held at the campus on Saturday, May 6, witnessed by Governor General, His Excellency Sir Frederick Ballantyne, members of Trinity’s Board of Trustees, family and friends of the newly matriculated medical students, and faculty and staff of Trinity.

Presiding at the ceremony was dean, Dr Linda Adkinson, who commended the 26 students, among whom were two Vincentians, Kavonne Bacchus and Amber Murphy, on their achievement in being selected as medical students. According to Keith Hollers, director of Student Services, “Everyone here is going to work very hard to give you every opportunity to be successful, to be a future physician”! He introduced the presentation by the Trinity 2016 graduates, which gave incoming students insight on preparing to begin school: forming friendships; the study of medicine; work and play; making a difference; opportunities for outreaches; and finding inner strength.

Subsequently, Dean Adkinson rose to introduce the ceremony speaker, Vincentian Dr Rosalind Ambrose, consultant radiologist at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital; chief of staff of the Caribbean Medical Imagining Centre; president of the SVG Medical Association; and chairperson of the National Accreditation Board.

After welcoming the students to St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ambrose reminded them of the “brand new special mission” that each was there to fulfill. She advised, “Your goal should really be to become a good physician who maintains a quest for knowledge; one who shows compassion for patients and their loved ones in the clinical and social realms of life; and therefore, one who cares about humanity in general”.

Dr Ambrose acknowledged that the wearing of the white coat still remains the element which most symbolizes the noble profession. She also reminded the future doctors that being robed with the coat is not intended to transform them into physicians, but rather, is a rite of passage through a portal of academic and clinical challenges towards becoming a physician. She stated, “You will wear this white coat as an entitlement of trust, and you should embody a devotion to academic scholarship, intellectualism, understanding of human nature, good conscience, sense of confidentiality, professionalism and poise in your overall conduct, and symbolically, it should mould you to be that special individual.”

As Dr Frances Jack, associate dean of Admissions and dean of Student Affairs, called their names, the students walked forward to have coats fitted by Dr Bernadette Scott, MD, interim assistant dean of Assessment; Dr Luliia Zhuravlova, MD, PhD, associate professor of Anatomy; and Dr Raju Panta, MBBS, MD, assistant professor of Physiology – a small part of the team of individuals who will support, guide and mentor the students in their education. Each student was then welcomed into the medical profession by Governor General, Sir Frederick Ballantyne. Additionally, four students joined the pre-medical programme at Trinity.