Health / Junior doctors to be honoured with virtual ceremony in hospital canteen after coronavirus cancels graduation
SIX medical students who have spent the last two months in Shetland are due to graduate as doctors this afternoon – in the Gilbert Bain Hospital’s canteen in a virtual ceremony live on Facebook.
The University of Aberdeen students were unable to return to Aberdeen for their real graduation – which has since been cancelled – due to coronavirus.
Their own ceremony, however, will take place in the hospital canteen at 3pm and it will be live streamed to the public through NHS Shetland chief executive Michael Dickson’s Facebook page.
Shetland News hopes to be able to embed the video on our website.
The junior doctors had arrived in the isles at the beginning of March for the final eight weeks of their medical training ahead of their graduation and a month’s holiday before commencing work.
However, they will now only leave for the mainland in August after volunteering to stay in Shetland to help out during the coronavirus pandemic.
NHS Shetland director of medical education Pauline Wilson said: “They have hit the deck running facing the biggest health emergency the world has ever seen.
“What is so incredible is that they have all volunteered to sacrifice their holiday, which after years of study is well earned, to stay on and serve the Shetland community until this is over.”
NHS Shetland chief executive Michael Dickson said: “From all of us we wish them well in their careers and thank them for so quickly stepping up to help a community in need during a very difficult time.”
The real graduation ceremony would have taken place at the University of Aberdeen in July with their parents present, but they will now be graduated in absentia.
They will be led into the Gilbert Bain canteen to the tune of Gaudeamus Igitur. They will be capped before reciting the Hippocratic Oath.
Colleagues will be on hand to applaud them though when they leave the canteen. In the new graduates’ honour staff in the Gilbert Bain Hospital will all wear the scrubs made over the last few weeks by the local community to help ease pressure on hospital gowns during the coronavirus emergency.
The six junior doctors are:
- Bianca-Rose Low
- Alisdair Phillips
- Ellen Parkinson
- Calum McCoss
- Lucy Buchanan
- Samuel Nixon
Become a supporter of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.
Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.
Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has over 600 supporters who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.
Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -
- Bring you the headlines as they happen;
- Stay editorially independent;
- Give a voice to the community;
- Grow site traffic further;
- Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.
Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.
Already a supporter? Sign in to hide this message.
