The Central University School of Pharmacy has held its 4th White Coat Ceremony, a significant milestone that marked the transition of 140 Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Level 500 students from the pre-clinical phase to the clinical stage of their professional training.
Hosted on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at the Trinity Hall on the Miotso Campus, the ceremony celebrated the students’ commitment to integrity, responsibility and excellence in healthcare. Donning the white coat symbolizes their readiness to uphold the trust bestowed upon them as future guardians of public health.
The ceremony was chaired by Prof. Samuel Kwasi Dartey-Baah, Vice-Chancellor of Central University, who congratulated the students on their hard work and discipline, and encouraged them to embody the University’s values as they embark on their clinical journey.
Delivering the keynote address on the theme “Guardians of Public Health: Ensuring Safety, Efficacy and Access to Quality Medicine,” Pharm. Benjamin Kwame Botwe (DMS), Deputy Secretary-General of the West African Post-Graduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP) and former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), urged the students to uphold the highest ethical and professional standards. He emphasized the pharmacist’s critical role in safeguarding public health through responsible practice, patient-centered care and advocacy for quality medicines.
The event was attended by faculty, staff, families and well-wishers who came together to witness the students take their professional oath—an important step affirming their dedication to service and ethical practice.
A Growing Legacy in Pharmacy Education
The Central University School of Pharmacy, the first private pharmacy school in Ghana, continues to make significant strides in health sciences education. Beginning with an initial intake of 70 students as a Department of Pharmacy within the then School of Applied Sciences, the University received accreditation to run the Doctor of Pharmacy programme in 2018. This followed national and regional regulatory decisions by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), the Pharmacy Council of Ghana and the West Africa Pharmaceutical Community recognizing the 6-year PharmD degree as the minimum qualification for professional registration.
Since launching the PharmD programme, Central University has maintained its commitment to quality training, producing graduates who are academically grounded, ethically driven and equipped to excel in diverse pharmaceutical practice settings. The University is widely recognized as a leader in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education among private institutions in Ghana.
The 2025 White Coat Ceremony reaffirmed the University’s dedication to nurturing competent, compassionate and globally competitive pharmacists. As the newly coated students move into their clinical rotations, they carry with them the values and training that define Central University—prepared to make meaningful contributions to healthcare in Ghana and beyond.
Central University celebrates these future pharmacists and remains committed to supporting their journey toward becoming transformative leaders in the pharmaceutical profession.
