Dr. Nyongesa (left) and Prof. Mengech cloak the first year students
JKUAT School of Medicine marked the annual White Coat ceremony, November 5, 2021 for 140 Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) students.
The hybrid ceremony that saw the guardians of the first year student join the event virtually symbolized the introduction to the Class of 2027 into the medical field.
The event organised by the Jomo Kenyatta University Students’ Medical Association (JKUSMA) in collaboration with the Kenya Medical Association (KMA) saw the 140 students cloaked in white coats and recite the Hippocratic Oath for the first time before their guardians, invited guests and the College of Health Sciences (COHES) faculty.
The iconic ritual provided an important emphasis on compassionate, collaborative, and scientifically excellent care from the very first day of training.
While welcoming the students to the College, COHES Principal, Prof. Haroun Mengech urged them to maintain the discipline that got them to the School of Medicine.
A section of the 140 students cloaked in white coats, recite the Hippocratic Oath for the first time before their guardians, invited guests and the COHES faculty
“Treat this course as a long distance swim. The medical school is extremely demanding and I can assure you it is not going to be easy, but if you remain focused and maintain discipline you will achieve the goal of this course,” advised Prof. Mengech.
He further advised the students to take the extra initiative and go beyond the class room lectures considering that medical knowledge is changing awfully fast.
His sentiments were echoed by most of the speakers who were drawn from both academia and industry. The student were advised to always strive for excellence, pursue their passion, be intentional, be bold and avoid bad vices such as alcoholism and drug abuse if they were to succeed in the medical field.
On why they invited medical practitioners to the ceremony, the Chair of the Organising Committee, Benjamin Nyariki, said “we would like them (140 students) to see themselves in the picture of invited guests. The guest are best placed to guide these students on what to expect going into the job market.” Benjamin is a 5th year medical student.
COHES faculty, invited medical practitioners witness the Hippocractic oath as they welcome the students into the medical field
The students were also addressed by President KMA, Dr. Andrew Were Joan Ruguru (6th year student), Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Patrick Mburugu, Dr. Justus Simba representing the Dean, School of Medicine, Dr. Sylvia Shitsama, Founder and CEO, Texas Cancer Centre, Dr. Catherine Nyongesa, Assistant Professor at Aga Khan University Hospital, Dr. Beverly Cheserem, Prosthodontist, University of Nairobi, Dr. Nyalik Ogada, CEO and Founder of RFH Healthcare, Dr. Maxwel Okoth, Counseling Psychologist, Dr. Margaret Kagwe, and Prof. Charles Kabetu among other guests.