Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy opens new year with annual White Coat Ceremony

Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy opens new year with annual White Coat Ceremony

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On Aug. 18, the Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy held its annual White Coat Ceremony for its incoming students.

The white coats are symbolic of the professionalism that is expected of students not only during pharmacy school, but also throughout their eventual practice of pharmacy. The ceremony reaffirms the pharmacy community’s support of the educational commitment as the students pledge to serve their profession and patients. The white coat placed on each student is more than a familiar lab coat; it is a cloak of competence, communication, caring, character, and community—the guiding principles of the Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy.

During the ceremony, Susan Eagerton, the 2016-2017 Preceptor of the Year spoke to the class. The Preceptor of the Year demonstrates high standards of professionalism; through pharmacy leadership, service, and a continuous desire to enhance the practice and profession of pharmacy.

“Putting on that white coat for the first time is really exciting,” Eagerton told the class. “You may even feel just a little bit smarter.”

Eagerton began her career as a pharmacy technician for Revco in high school and throughout college. She received her degree in pharmacy from the University of South Carolina School of Pharmacy in 1988 and continued to work at Revco and later CVS as a pharmacist/assistant manager.

In February 1992, she became an inpatient care/staff pharmacist at Richland Memorial Hospital in its newly created Center for Cancer Treatment and Research. AS an oncology pharmacist, she supervised the preparation of chemotherapy and other medication and served as a clinical pharmacist for the Bone Marrow Transplant Team and then for the Gynecologic Oncology team.

During this time, Eagerton also served as an adjunct clinical faculty, precepting students from USC College of Pharmacy, as well as a consultant pharmacist for Parkridge Surgery Center, Critical Care Home Infusion Center, and a relief pharmacist for Target Pharmacy. In 2004, she became a staff pharmacist at Lexington Medical Center and transitioned to lead OR pharmacist in 2013.

“Treat every experience as a job interview,” Eagerton said. “There is still something to learn in every experience. Take initiative—do more than is expected of you.”

To learn more about the School of Pharmacy »

 


 

 

Presbyterian College is located on a striking 240-acre campus in Clinton, between Columbia and Greenville, S.C. Offering challenging academics and a culture of honor, ethics, and service that prepares students to be leaders in communities, PC offers its students the benefit of engaging with an exceptional faculty who take individual interest in their students’ well-being, both personally and in the classroom. The Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy is dedicated to the ideals of leadership, honor to the profession, and service to the community. For more information about Presbyterian College, visit www.presby.edu.