Grenada, West Indies — A student from The People’s Republic of China has officially started his medical degree after receiving a scholarship to St George’s University in the Caribbean island of Grenada.
Yecang Chen recently attended SGU’s 20th biannual White Coat Ceremony at Northumbria University in the UK, where he will complete the first year of his MD studies as part of the Keith B Taylor Global Scholars (KBTGS) Program. He joined over 90 other international students on the program, which teaches first year sciences at Northumbria University before completion of preclinical training in Grenada.
The Global Scholar’s Program encourages students to return to their home countries as physicians to practice medicine in local healthcare systems.
Speaking about his enrolment, Yecang Chen said: “The White Coat Ceremony was a fantastic welcome to the UK and a memorable way to symbolise our first steps into the world of medicine”.
The symbolic ceremony was embraced by SGU in 1996. Students at the event take an oath of commitment to the medical profession, recognising that “it is a privilege to have been given the opportunity to become a physician”.
Calum Macpherson, Vice Provost of the International Development Program and Dean of the School of Graduates at St George’s University, said: “We are delighted to welcome Yecang on to the course and I am sure he will flourish during his time with us. One of the most important things for us is that those who study with us, particularly those who benefit from our scholarship awards, return to their home countries and bring their skills, talent and knowledge to their own medical communities and I am sure he will”.
For more information about St George’s University, visit www.sgu.edu.