The College of Pharmacy (CoP) at the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB) celebrated the culmination of yet another cohort of its students their foundational theoretical studies, moving to the stage of practical instruction. The future practitioners donned the white robes of the healthcare professions and took the Oath of Pharmacists before CoP faculty, University officials, the President of the Iraqi Pharmacists’ Syndicate, and also their parents, who proudly watched their children commit to the highest professional and ethical standards in patient care.
“It’s a very beautiful day, a big day for the university, its faculty, and students,” remarked AUIB President, Dr. Bradley Cook, in his opening speech, describing the ceremony as “a rite of passage” from the classroom to practice. At AUIB, he continued, Pharmacy education goes beyond good theoretical teaching and practical training: it extends to building a well-rounded character, having empathy for patients, and the ability to communicate well with them. This, he noted, is well in line with AUIB Founders’ vision to advance education and healthcare in Iraq, as a developmental priority. President Cook seized the opportunity to voice AUIB’s “deep appreciation for Dr. Achraf Al-Faraj,” Dean of the College of Pharmacy, thanking him for advancing the college and making “a lasting impact on AUIB and its students.”
“We are proud of all the efforts on part of (AUIB’s) College of Pharmacy faculty to graduate competent pharmacists who would serve their country, great Iraq,” said the President of the Iraqi Pharmacists’ Syndicate, Dr. Haidar Fouad Al-Sayegh, in his speech at the occasion, adding that the White Coat “symbolizes the purity of our noble profession.” Dr. Al-Sayegh commended AUIB for “developing the College of Pharmacy, adopting modern curricula, equipping modern laboratories, and following up with its students after graduation,” noting the importance of the latter, in light of the great number of Pharmacy graduates Iraq witnesses yearly, thus making especially significant AUIB’s efforts to support its graduates in their quest for finding themselves adequate job opportunities.