Charge to pharmacy and athletic training graduates

Charge to Manchester University Pharmacy doctoral and Athletic Training masters graduates by Jo Young Switzer, president emerita:

Congratulations on completing the hard work that led to this important day. 

Today, we celebrate your thorough preparation as pharmacists and athletic trainers of ability and conviction.

I charge you from this day on to remember four guiding principles.

First, be respectful.  Whether your patients or clients are old or young, rich or poor, courteous or rude, mature or childish, treat them respectfully.  Everyone deserves the high level of care you are prepared to provide.  Treat people with respect.

Second, be accurate.  You have chosen professions where mistakes can be costly, even deadly.  Every day, do your best to be 100% accurate.  Take time to breathe and focus.  Learn from your mistakes.  Be accurate.

Third, speak up for fairness.  If you hear colleagues disparaging patients for their lack of cleanliness or education or for their low tolerance for pain or their cultural traditions, speak up.  Every person deserves the best treatment and courtesy.  Speak up for fairness.

Last, always be truthful.  If you witness injustice, do something about it.  If you make a mistake, admit it.  If you are late, apologize.  If you have a good boss, say it.  Be truthful, even when it is difficult.  

Be respectful, accurate, fair, and truthful.  Every hour.  Every day.  Your entire career.  Respectful.  Accurate.  Fair.  Truthful.

Be a person of ability and conviction.  Always.

And now, in the spirit of principled learning, you leave Manchester University charged to make the world a better place where compassion and education allow people to learn and grow and heal and thrive.  

Amen.

May 2016