Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, the Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, yesterday addressed 400-level medical students during the institution’s 8th White Coat Ceremony, urging them to embody humility, discipline, and compassion as they embark on their clinical training.
The ceremony marked the students’ transition from pre-clinical studies to hands-on clinical experience.
During his address on Wednesday, Prof. Ezemonye emphasized the significant moral responsibility that accompanies the prestige of the medical profession.
He cautioned the students against arrogance, stating that “in medicine, pride is a poor prognosis for success.”
As the students donned their white coats, he described the garment as both “a badge of competence and a cloak of compassion,” symbolizing their readiness to serve.
The Vice-Chancellor reminded the students that their entry into the wards as senior medical students signifies their role as custodians of trust during patients’ most vulnerable moments.
He advised them to approach each case with diligence and to prioritize learning over rushing through their studies, emphasizing the importance of thoroughness and care in their interactions with patients.
He said, “You will meet patients who are scared, in pain and vulnerable. Approach every case with diligence. Do not be in a hurry to graduate without learning.
In medicine, pride is a poor prognosis for success.”
