Anguilla attracted a well-needed measure of positive publicity when nineteen students, at the Saint James School of Medicine in The Quarter, Anguilla, graduated in a White Coat Ceremony in the exquisitely beautiful Ballroom at Resorts and Residences at CuisinArt.
The ceremony, on Friday, April 26, was attended by visiting medical personnel, parents, other relatives and friends of the students from the United States and several other countries.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Claude Iliou, Dean of Basic Sciences at Saint James School of Medicine, since 2011, said a total of 763 students had completed their basic sciences studies in Anguilla from the inception of the campus on the island, and that many visiting professors had contributed to their education. He stated that the students had completed twenty months of study and were now to begin their clinical studies in Chicago.
“A few members of this class started in the summer of 2017 in Anguilla – and the rest at our sister campus in St. Vincent because of Hurricane Irma,” he stated. “So they have had one less semester together than normal cohorts. Yet, what surprises me is the cohesiveness of this group of students who worked tirelessly together, helped each other and integrated as a group.”
He continued: “I have taught students in various courses – basic sciences, neuroscience, pharmacology and the dreaded science review course. I feel uniquely qualified to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the students in this class. This week will be the last time that you all will be together. From this point on, your journeys will go a different place and the situation will be less structured. You will find yourself doing different rotations in the country [the United States] and you may not ever see each other again. Take advantage of the opportunity to study together, and continue to support each other because medicine, more and more, is a team effort rather than a one-man show.”
Dr. Iliou recalled that the tradition of the White Coat Ceremony began in Columbia University Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons in 1993 – not too long after he had graduated from Howard University College of Medicine. He explained that the White Coat Ceremony represented a transition from basic sciences to clinical sciences, and that the Hippocratic Oath, to be taken by the graduating students, during the ceremony, represented their commitment to their patients and the medical profession.
He added: “Once you leave here, you will be faced by many situations where you will feel frustrated, exhausted and even righteous indignation, but I sincerely hope that these moments will be dwarfed by the opportunities where you will feel compassion, empathy and pride in yourselves for a job well done.”
Dr. Iliou and Dr. Jose Ramirez, Dean of Administration, presented the White Coats and Certificates to the students. Dr. Ramirez also administered the Hippocratic Oath to them.
The Master of Ceremonies was Michael Fahmy, MD, who also delivered the closing remarks.
The Class Speaker was Kavya Polutru, MD, who spoke about the experiences of the class at Saint James School of Medicine – and the pleasurable time the students have had in Anguilla.
The White Coat Ceremony ended with this message printed on the back of the programme agenda: “Thank you to all of the family, friends and faculty that have supported us throughout basic sciences. We could not have done it without you.”
During the ceremony, a presentation was made to three of the medical students who had worked closely with the Anguilla Red Cross while on the island.
