White coat ceremony marks PA clinical phase
There are less stressful ways to make money, internal medicine physician E. Benjamin Clyburn, M.D., told the 44 physician assistant students who gathered at the Church of the Holy Communion on Ashley Avenue Friday, Aug. 13, for their program's second annual White Coat Ceremony.But, he said they were about to experience what he described as the privilege of not just providing care, but truly caring for people. The ceremony marked the completion of 15 months of PA curriculum, entailing 67 credits of classroom and laboratory work on the MUSC campus and the start of clinical rotations.
Faculty
members Dr. Reamer Bushardt, right, and Dr. Glenn Askins Jr., PA program
medical director, assist students Nikki Ketchin and Julie Johnson with
their white coats.
“You have the science, now you must learn the art of medicine,” PA program director Paul Jacques told them. He advised students to approach patients with enthusiasm and to keep that enthusiasm through the years.
The students will be assigned to work with physicians or physician assistants who provide care in a number of settings. For 45 weeks they will gain experience in family medicine, internal medicine, women's health, mental health, surgery, emergency medicine, and pediatrics.
Attended by family members and faculty, the 45-minute ceremony included the recitation of a student-generated physician assistant oath and the traditional donning of white coats, marking their role as health care providers in a clinical setting. As part of the ceremony, College of Health Professions dean Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., awarded certificates to students who earned a grade point average of 3.8 to 4.0 for three consecutive semesters. Mandy Bobb, Chris Hewitt, Emily Lynn, Will Putnam, Jessica Smith, and Erin Watrobski received such honors.
Jeff Gresh, president; Sarah Koepp, vice president; Melinda Carr, treasurer; Janet Leahy and Breann Garbas, secretaries were recognized for their outstanding performance as class officers. Will Putnam and Jessica Smith were honored for being selected among students campuswide to serve with the Presidential Scholars program during the next year. The interdisciplinary program, which includes students from other MUSC colleges as well, will address health care disparities in South Carolina.
Friday, Aug. 20, 2004
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