The Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, PhD, FAS, has charged 400-Level medical students of the institution to cultivate humility, discipline, and compassion as they transition into the clinical phase of their training.
Prof. Ezemonye delivered the charge on Wednesday during the university’s 8th White Coat Ceremony, held in Okada, Edo State. The event marked the symbolic passage of the students from pre-clinical to clinical training, as they donned their white coats for the first time in a formal rite of passage.
“In medicine, pride is a poor prognosis for success,” Ezemonye declared, describing the white coat as “a badge of competence and a cloak of compassion.” He emphasized that entering the wards as senior medical students meant assuming the role of custodians of trust, especially when patients are at their most vulnerable.
“You will meet patients who are scared, in pain and vulnerable. Approach every case with diligence. Do not be in a hurry to graduate without learning,” he advised. Highlighting the enduring value of patient interaction, he added: “In the rush of modern medicine, the art of listening is dying, but it is often the best diagnostic tool.”
The Vice-Chancellor stressed that the ceremony represented far more than an academic milestone. “You are not merely changing your mode of dress; you are declaring your commitment to the art and science of medicine,” he said. He called on the students to uphold strict integrity, punctuality, and professional appearance throughout their clinical rotations.
Reinforcing the message, Prof. Dominic Osaghae, Provost of the Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II College of Health Sciences, described medicine as a solemn and demanding profession that requires time consciousness and exemplary conduct. He commended the university’s consistent tradition of the White Coat Ceremony to underscore the gravity of the medical calling.
Prof. Taiwo Balogun, Dean of the School of Basic Clinical Sciences, noted that Igbinedion University has produced over 3,000 medical doctors now practising globally. She urged the new cohort to honour that legacy through excellence in science combined with uprightness, honour, and humility. “Your patients are your priority,” she affirmed.
Guest lecturer Prof. Gerald Eze further challenged the students on the realities of clinical practice. “You are going to be handling the most precious thing God created, the human being. The engineer handles machines, but you will handle the engineer,” he said.
Drawing from experience, Eze stressed the need for deliberate kindness and active listening. “You must force yourself to be kind. You must force yourself to listen. Patients want to know what is happening to them. Respect them. Keep their information confident,” he advised.
He warned that lapses such as delays, indiscipline, or lack of empathy could prove fatal. “One minute late can mean losing a patient,” Eze cautioned, urging punctuality as a non-negotiable virtue.
Addressing the emotional demands of the profession, he prepared them for inevitable encounters with suffering and loss. “You will see suffering. You will see death. Some patients will recover; some will die under your watch. You must find the strength to continue caring for those who are alive,” he said, framing medicine not merely as a career but as a lifelong vocation.
The ceremony served as a powerful reminder of the ethical and humanistic foundations of medical practice as Igbinedion University continues to shape the next generation of Nigerian and global physicians.
