I recently had the pleasure of speaking at the Texas A&M Kingsville White Coat Ceremony and would like to share some of what I said to all student pharmacists as they don their white coats…

Pharmacy is one of the most trusted professions in our country. This is true only because of the commitment and hard work of pharmacists who came before you to protect the credibility of our profession. The white coat you put on today is a symbol of the trust that our patients place in us. Its image is very powerful to the public…when you put that white coat on, people will trust you with their personal health information and ultimately with their life. They will believe that you will help them with their medicines and their health. By accepting your white coat today you have agreed to ACCEPT and HONOR this obligation to have courage, compassion, and to always serve your patient’s needs first.

Pharmacy has been changing and evolving from the very beginning. You are entering the profession of pharmacy at a very exciting time. Pharmacists are doing things that they have not been able to do in the past. For example, just 10 years ago it wasn’t common for pharmacists to give flu shots and other immunizations, whereas now its commonplace. Pharmacists are involved in disease state management, medication therapy management, point-of-care and genetic testing. Who knows what another 10 years will bring??

I am hopeful that the upcoming years will bring change that will enable pharmacists to be recognized as providers, to participate in practice models that expand direct patient care, and to ensure payment methods to support the transition. We know that pharmacists are highly trained professionals with extensive knowledge and skills in addressing the appropriate use of medications to treat disease. With medications serving as the core therapeutic intervention for most conditions post-diagnosis, it is vital to have pharmacists as integral health care team members, to leverage our knowledge and to utilize our unique relationships with our patients to improve compliance.

With pharmacists being the most accessible members of the healthcare team, Texas pharmacists are poised to address unmet healthcare needs among the citizens of Texas, especially in the underserved areas of the state. Collaborative and protocol-driven practice models throughout all pharmacy practice settings will be the key to expand direct patient-care services.

Providing pharmaceuticals will continue to be a core function of the profession, but we need to look toward the future to find sensible reimbursement models that support the provision of patient focused care.

And that is only the beginning…

When you put on that white coat, you not only have a responsibility to your patients, but a responsibility to your profession.

Don’t be one of those people who just goes to work, does their job and goes home. Take pride in what you do. Give back to your school, join your local, state or national association. Get involved now as a student and stay involved.

Our profession is highly regulated. Legislative decisions impacting our profession and the healthcare delivery system in Texas typically are made by those with minimal or no knowledge of pharmacies, pharmacists or the health care system.

You can have a role. You can make a difference.

With that white coat comes trust, honor, and responsibility, both to your patients and to your profession. Wear it with pride. Commit to serve your patients’ needs first. We can’t always control patient outcomes and not every patient will recover and be healed; however, we have complete control over how we interact with our patients and how we earn and maintain their trust.

Today is a new beginning for you. It is the first step in your professional journey. And it is the NEXT step for the future of pharmacy!

Again, Welcome to the Profession!