Fourth-year students of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Nutrition and Dietetics department enthusiastically donned their white coats at a ceremony held within the scope of June 6 Dietitians' Day. Their families also did not leave the students, who proudly wore their white coats symbolizing their first step into professional life, alone on this special day.
The white coat ceremony held at the Üsküdar Üniversitesi NP Sağlık Campus Ibn Sina Auditorium was attended by Associate Professor Dr. Müge Arslan, Head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences; Specialist Dietitian Hülya Yiğit from NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi; Lecturers Kübra Şahin and Hatice Nurseda Hatunoğlu from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, as well as other department academics, students, and parents.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan: “The white coat is an important symbol of dedication to human life…”
Associate Professor Dr. Müge Arslan, Head of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Nutrition and Dietetics Department, emphasized that dietetics is a profession based on science and conscience. Arslan stated; “The white coat is not merely an attire but an important symbol of ethical principles in the field of health, dedication to science, and human health. Therefore, by wearing this coat, you are essentially stepping out of student life and into professional life. You are taking on a great responsibility. A very valuable responsibility. I wish you all a life where not only scientific knowledge but also your conscience will guide you on your professional journey. I wish you all success in your professional lives, adhering to scientific principles, with conscience and ethics.”
Spec. Dyt. Hülya Yiğit: “This profession is about understanding, listening to, and accompanying people on their life journeys…”
Within the scope of the ceremony, NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi Specialist Dietitian Hülya Yiğit, one of the prominent figures in the field, gave a talk titled “About the Profession with Hülya Yiğit.”
Emphasizing the importance of ethical values and a human-centered approach in the profession, Specialist Dietitian Hülya Yiğit said; “I am very happy to be with you all today. I have completed approximately my 11th year in this profession. Looking back at these years, I recall our white coat ceremonies and graduation excitement, just like yours. Time passes very quickly, but looking back, what has stayed with me the most is how valuable communication is in this profession. As our Professor Müge so eloquently put it, ethical values are also one of the fundamental elements that define us on this journey. I want to share a small but very meaningful moment I experienced with you all over these years. When I first started my profession, I helped a client lose about 30 kilograms. Throughout the process, we had excellent rapport, motivation, and communication. However, one day at the end of a session, she told me, ‘I’ve lost 30 kilograms, but I’m not happy. Losing weight didn’t make me happy.’ At that moment, I realized that our job is not just about writing diet plans or calculating calories. This profession is about understanding people, listening to them, and being able to accompany them on their life journeys. Sometimes, it’s necessary to see much more than just the numbers on the scale. That’s why I wholeheartedly advise you to always keep communication strong on your professional path, to approach your clients not just as cases but as individuals, and to always make your ethical values your compass. I wish you all success in your professional lives.”
Following the talk, the white coat ceremony commenced
Fourth-year students of the Nutrition and Dietetics department enthusiastically and proudly donned their white coats, symbolizing their first step into professional life.
The ceremony concluded with a group photo session.