By Mariama Njie
The University of The Gambia’s School of Medicine and Allied Science, Monday, 28th December, 2020 has sworn-in twenty-one newly qualified doctors after the completion of their eight years training.
The sworn-in twenty-one doctors comprised of 15 males and 6 females.
Dr.Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, Minister of Health described the ceremony as a landmark achievement for the Gambia’s School of Medicine and Allied Health Science.
“At this moment you are about to be a doctor, remember what it feels like to be a patient, a mixture of emotions and helplessness, I know you have been studying for years but don’t let that all those facts crowd out your ability to connect with patient,” he advised the new sworn-in doctors.
He added “you should be humble and know that you are just beginning and there is still a whole lot to learn and take care of yourselves as you are going to be saddled with lots of stress taking care of other people depending on you for their wellbeing and lives.”
Honorable Fatou Kinteh, Minister of Women, Children and Social Welfare congratulated the graduates for successfully completing their degree in medicine.
“As you take the oath, you are expected to work as a team, learn from each other and learn from senior doctors. All professions are noble but believe me the medical profession is indeed the noblest,” she said.
She said that as medical doctors they are among the selected few who are armed with knowledge, skills to cure and prevent diseases, that they should be grateful for that and be willing to serve with humility.
Professor Ramou Njie, Acting Provost UTG School of medicine said the quality of any country’s health system is directly related to the quality of medical education that it delivers both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
She said it is Critical that at this juncture in the country’s trajectory to invest in the development of human resource capacity and health infrastructure.
She noted that the pandemic has taught a lesson that Gambia need to urgently invest in technology and increased internet bandwidth, expanding the library space and Video-conferencing as the final medical students face a lot of challenges.
Professor Pierre Gomez, Acting Vice Chancellor of UTG, said every year the school organizes ceremony to swear in newly graduated medical doctors after completing their studies.
“It is a joy to inform you that UTG is adding 21 doctors to the pool of doctors in the country, hopefully they will stay and work to support health care delivery in the Gambia during these trying times,” he said.