Speech of the Dean

My dear students,

It is a great honor for me to address you from this platform. May I share with you a portion of what I envision for you: I ask the Almighty God that when the time comes for me to depart from this position I have assumed as Dean of your college, I will have established for you an independent building with numerous large classrooms, where modern, advanced curricula are taught that keep pace with the rapid developments in science, graduating pharmacists who can compete with their peers in international universities in performance. I will also have state-of-the-art laboratories equipped with the latest equipment where you can train in various methods of analysis and diagnosis, and a library replete with the finest books, both printed and electronic, where you can draw from the springs of knowledge and spend the most beautiful times of your life.

Dear Student

You, who will be awarded a Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy:

Know that you will play key leadership roles in all aspects of the healthcare system: in your own pharmacy, in the hospital where you work, in a nursing home, or as part of a visiting medical team at schools and colleges.

Know that your concern for the patient and their trust in you will be an important means of helping them feel better and recover as quickly as possible. You are the drug specialist, and you are culturally and scientifically qualified to assess the various factors affecting a patient's ability to take medication and to prescribe a diet. You are the one the patient can contact, see, and speak to at length without barriers, every day of the week, during the morning and evening hours, and even on weekends. Be cheerful and welcoming, and be open to their questions, no matter how repetitive and sometimes boring they may be. You will be visited by elderly patients in need of long-term special care, as their medication requirements are complex. Be compassionate toward them, as you may have to monitor their blood pressure or measure their blood sugar levels.

Know that your presence on hospital rounds as an active member of the patient care team will prevent medication errors, as proven by numerous international studies.

Be persistent in learning and prepared for change and development. Let your success be guided by the pleasure of God Almighty with you and His creation. Integrity, then integrity, must come before financial gain.

Dean of the College of Pharmacy