The International American University College of Medicine conducted it 20th White Coat Ceremony here in Vieux Fort on May 11, 2012. In a glittering ceremony held at the Kimatrai Hotel, a new batch of 24 medical hopefuls donned their white coat, marking the beginning of their arduous journey towards a career in medicine.
The event which was attended by the friends and family of the students along with the faculty and staff of IAU, was graced by Hon. Sen. Dr. Stephen King, who was the chief guest for the day. The event was also attended by Mr. Manmadhan Nair, the president of the International American University. Addressing the new students, Mr. King, through his lively and capturing speech, reiterated the importance of doctors as crucial decision makers in the world. He highlighted the significance of doctors presenting themselves as role models in the society and encouraged constructive thinking. Quoting his own life and experiences, Mr. King engaged and amused his audience whilst delivered a thought provoking message.
The event saw a lot of interaction between the students and the professors as the new batch settled into their fresh roles. The event also witnessed the presentation of an award to Mr. Jeffrey Schacter, in recognition of his exemplary performance in the NBME (National Board of Medical Examiners) exams conducted in April 2012. Yet another highlight of the event was the handing over of the donations made by the last batch of students who left the island to pursue their clinical training in the United States. Their contributions and donations were handed over to Mr. Rhon Stephens, who accepted it on behalf of the Vieuv Fort Lions Club. Mr. Stephens thanked IAU for its sustained support and hoped that this association would continue forever.
The ceremony concluded with a dinner and promise from the new batch to excel in their studies and to perform to the best of their abilities. As Mr. Nair mentioned in his address, the onus now rests with the students to utilize the faculty and the resources at IAU, to extract as much as they can from them and absorb it all like a sponge so that tomorrow, they can face the world armed with knowledge and confidence.