The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) welcomed its newest class of student pharmacists to the profession during its annual White Coat Ceremony on Aug. 28, celebrating the Class of 2030 and the beginning of their journey toward careers in pharmacy.

This year’s ceremony took place earlier than it has in the past, reflecting a significant change in the School’s Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. With the launch of the new M-Pact curriculum, students begin experiential rotations much earlier in their pharmacy education. For the Class of 2030, the first day of rotations was Sept. 2, just days after the students received their white coats.

The earlier start gives students an opportunity to experience different areas of pharmacy practice sooner in their education, helping them explore the wide range of career possibilities available to pharmacists and begin thinking about the paths they may want to pursue.

The ceremony brought together first-year student pharmacists, their families and friends, faculty, staff, alumni, and preceptors to mark the students’ transition into the pharmacy profession. The ceremony included remarks from Dean Sarah L. J. Michel, PhD; a keynote address from UMSOP alumna Jennifer Majchrzak, PharmD ’08, MBA; the presentation of white coats; and the Class of 2030’s Pledge of Professionalism.

For the students, the white coat represents more than the beginning of their professional education. It symbolizes their commitment to the profession and to the patients they will one day serve.

“When you put on your white coat, you are a pharmacist in training,” Michel told the students. “This is a big step in your journey, and it is important that you think about how you will treat your patients, their families, and your colleagues when you are in your white coat.”

A profession built on trust

In her opening remarks, Michel highlighted the essential role pharmacists play on the health care team. Pharmacists are medication experts, she noted, who educate patients and families, identify potentially dangerous medication interactions and side effects, help patients manage chronic diseases, and provide immunizations and other critical services.

As students develop their clinical knowledge and skills at UMSOP, Michel encouraged them to place equal importance on professionalism.

“Professionalism is the cornerstone of the pharmacy profession,” she said, emphasizing that pharmacists must treat every patient with respect, practice with integrity, and approach their work as a calling rather than simply a job.

For the Class of 2030, those lessons will soon move from the classroom into practice. Beginning their rotations just days after the White Coat Ceremony gives the students an early opportunity to see pharmacists at work, interact with patients and health care teams, and experience different areas of pharmacy practice.

An alumna’s full-circle moment

The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Jennifer Majchrzak, PharmD ’08, MBA, offered students a deeply personal perspective on the meaning of the white coat.

Majchrzak, director of pharmaceutical services at University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health, leads pharmacy operations and clinical services with a focus on medication safety, quality improvement, and patient-centered care. She also serves as president-elect of the Maryland Society of Health-System Pharmacy.

Her appearance at UMSOP represented a full-circle moment. Twenty-two years earlier, Majchrzak had sat in the audience as a student herself, receiving her first white coat.

But her path toward pharmacy began much earlier – as a patient.

At age 8, Majchrzak was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and spent much of third grade in the hospital undergoing intensive chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant made possible by her five-year-old brother. The experience introduced her to the health care professionals who cared for her and ultimately inspired her to pursue a career in health care and, specifically, pharmacy.

“Today, you are receiving a white coat. But what you are really being given is access to people’s lives during some of their most vulnerable moments,” Majchrzak told the students.

She urged the Class of 2030 to remember the person behind every prescription and medication.

“Behind every medication is a person. And behind every person is a story,” she said. “Never lose sight of that.”

Majchrzak also encouraged students not to feel pressured to know exactly what their careers will look like. Her own career has taken unexpected turns, from pediatric pharmacy practice to leadership and operations, and she told students to remain curious, seek out mentors, and embrace opportunities that challenge their expectations.

“Your path may change, but your purpose does not have to,” she said.

Her advice is particularly relevant for students beginning their experiential education earlier through the M-Pact curriculum. As they encounter different pharmacy practices and work with new mentors and patients, those experiences may help shape their professional interests in ways they cannot yet anticipate.

Joining the Maryland Pharmacy Family

Following the keynote, students were individually presented with their white coats by Michel, assisted by faculty members Mojdeh Heavner, PharmD, BCCCP, FCCM, FCCP; Mandee Booth, PharmD, BCIDP; Allison Dunn, PharmD, MS; and Chad Johnson, PhD. Kelsey Roland, president of the Student Government Association and a member of the Class of 2028, helped announce the students as they received their coats.

The School continued its tradition of inviting alumni, faculty, staff, and preceptors to sponsor the students’ white coats. This year, every coat was sponsored by a member of the UMSOP community.

Each student also received a personal note of encouragement and wisdom from their sponsor, tucked into the left pocket of the coat. Michel encouraged students to keep the notes and return to them throughout the next four years, particularly when pharmacy school becomes challenging.

“The Maryland Pharmacy Family is here to support you on your journey,” Michel said. “Our faculty, our staff, our alumni, our preceptors, and your fellow students are all here, cheering for you.”

The ceremony concluded with the Class of 2030 reciting its Pledge of Professionalism, led by Kristine Parbuoni, PharmD, BCPPS, associate dean for PharmD students. The pledge calls on students and pharmacists to practice with integrity, honesty, and commitment to service; foster professional competency through lifelong learning; support colleagues; and strive for excellence in patient care.

For the Class of 2030, the white coat ceremony represents the first step toward joining the School’s alumni ranks and serves as a reminder of the responsibility that comes with the privilege of caring for others. It also marks the beginning of an educational journey that will give these future pharmacists opportunities to explore the profession earlier and discover where their interests and talents can make the greatest impact.

After the ceremony and proudly wearing her new white coat, student Star Fashoto said, “I’m very excited to work with the faculty, meet new friends, make connections, and prepare for the pharmacy profession.”

“Wear this privilege with humility, gratitude, and purpose,” Majchrzak told the students. “Congratulations on this important milestone, and welcome to the profession.”

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