Sack doctors without white coats, name tags from hospitals – Medical and Dental Council

The Registrar, Ghana Medical and Dental Council, Dr. Eli Kwasi Atikpui, has tasked the hospital authorities to be bold and sack doctors without white coat and name tags out of the hospital premises to redeem the image of the profession.

He bemoaned a situation where some doctors always use their white coats to clean their seats instead of wearing them to identify themselves.

Dr. Atikpui was speaking at the 10th white coat ceremony of the School of Medical Sciences of the College of Health and Allied Science (CoHAS) at University of Cape Coast (UCC) after swearing in the student doctors to induct the 10th batch into the medical profession as they begin their clinical studies.

Seventy students comprising 40 males and 30 females who have completed the 1st cycle of their medical education were roped by their lecturers to commence the 2nd phase of their training to become medical doctors.

The Registrar parents for the marvelous financial support for their wards and appealed to the parents to add one more white coats to the ones that they have been provided with to enable their wards shine in the doctoring profession.

The Dean of the School of the Medical Sciences of UCC, Prof Ivy A. E. Ekem explained that the white coat ceremony symbolizes the medical profession where appropriate dressing is of unquestionable importance.

According to the Dean, the ceremony is reserved for students who have done the recognized number of years in “preclinical” training and are at the threshold of full clinical training.

“In our school at the moment, students entering the undergraduate level spend three years for the pre-clinical training while those entering as graduates spend one and a half years” Prof Ekem stated.

The Chairman of the Ghana Medical and Dental Council, Prof Paul Kwame Nyame, who was the guest speaker charged them to treat the patient with respect and desist from maltreatment of patients.

He asked the student doctors not to embark on any demonstration as well as not to give room for dabbling in practices bordering on occultism.

“Keep away from so-called cults which purvey a sense of societal superiority. Do not be consumed by new-fangled religiosity which promises results without work or sweat. Fasting and “all-night” may keep you slim but will not pass examinations or cure the patient” Prof Nyame revealed.

The Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof Dora Francisca Edu-Buandoh who stood in for the Vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof Joseph Ghartey Ampiah as the chairperson of the function reminded the student doctors of their professional dutiesa and urged them to live up to expectation and practice their act with uprightness.