Welcome Class of 2015
The School of Pharmacy celebrates its new students at this year’s White Coat Ceremony.
The Health Sciences Campus Quad was filled with 190 new faces as the School of Pharmacy PharmD Class of 2015 was welcomed during the annual White Coat Ceremony.
Dean R. Pete Vanderveen opened the festivities with a welcome speech, during which he encouraged the students to take advantage of all the opportunities the School of Pharmacy has to offer, not only in the classroom, but through research and clinical experiences as well.
The keynote address was given by Associate Professor Steven Chen, who told students that they are entering an important profession where they will have the ability to make a real difference in health care and patients’ lives.
Next Fred Weissman, associate dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs, along with faculty and members of the Board of Directors and QSAD Centurion, “coated” the incoming class. Assistant Professor Melissa Durham administered the Pharmacy Oath, and Associate Professor Weissman provided the closing remarks.
This year’s incoming class represents a very selective group, with only 22 percent of the 1,179 applicants receiving admission. The class of 2015 includes 33 students from the Trojan Admission Pre-pharmacy Program, which provides qualifying USC undergraduates with priority admission to the School of Pharmacy's four-year Doctor of Pharmacy program. The average age of the new PharmD students is 25, and the average GPA of admitted students was 3.61.
The ceremony, which was held on August 18, was sponsored by QSAD Centurion, the support group of alumni and friends of the USC School of Pharmacy.
