The top graduating student from ESUCOM declares, “I will not ‘Japa’

Dr. Chinenye Agu, the top graduating student from the Enugu State University College of Medicine, ESUCOM, promised on Friday that she would not follow the trend of medical professionals with Nigerian training who are leaving the country to work overseas.

Dr. Agu, who graduated first in her class with distinctions in Biochemistry, Community Medicine, and Pharmacology, said that she will travel overseas for her postgraduate studies but vowed to return to Nigeria to practice and support her country.

During the College’s Batch 12 medical graduates’ induction ceremony, she made the revelations in the ESUCOM Auditorium.

“My take on ‘japa’ syndrome is that I would like to travel overseas for my postgraduate studies but I will return to Nigeria to practice and to serve my country”-The 23-year old from Udi Local Government added.

She added that “My piece of advice for my colleagues leaving Nigeria in drones to practice Medicine abroad is that there are greener pastures everywhere, including Nigeria. So long as you work for it and do the necessary things you are supposed to do, you can find greener pastures in any part of the world. They should not limit themselves to going abroad only, ”

According to her, while a doctor saved her life while she was unwell as a youngster, she was motivated to study medicine.

” I fell sick a lot as a child and my parents would always take me to the hospital. That exposed me to how doctors work. While going to the hospital, I felt very sick but after being discharged, I would have so much energy as if I never felt sick before.

“So, I always wanted to be that kind of person who can change someone’s life like the doctors did to me. That inspired me to study Medicine,” she said.

50 graduates of the College were formally admitted to the medical profession earlier by the Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi, who also urged them to always pay close regard to the profession’s ethics.

Dr. Sanusi asked the graduates to consider how they might help the profession flourish as she administered the oath of profession to them at the ESUCOM Auditorium.

He also gave them advice on the present large departure of medical professionals with Nigerian training to other countries, saying that they should avoid the “Japa” mentality since the reality of practicing medicine abroad is not as ideal as it is portrayed to be.

Dr. Sanusi urged them to carefully abide by the medical profession’s ethical standards, emphasizing that MDCN would not hesitate to delete the names of any members who did so.

Prof. Uchenna Nwagha, the event’s chairman and provost emeritus of the college of medicine at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, UNEC, In his speech, advised the newly inducted members not to forsake their noble service for material gain.

He stressed the importance of their understanding their social obligations and complimented the university administration for adopting a father figure role toward the graduates.

Prof. Frank Ezugwu, the Provost of ESUCOM, congratulated the graduates in his remarks and encouraged them to enroll in specialized courses to set themselves apart in the field of medicine.

He also expressed his gratitude to the MDCN for expanding the College’s admissions cap from 50 to 120, noting that this has offered young people who want to pursue medical careers additional opportunities to do so.

He expressed his gratitude to the Enugu State Government and the ESUT Management Team for their assistance, noting that it had allowed the College to carry out its difficult work of educating physicians.

He further emphasized that the College has a zero-tolerance policy for wrongdoing, noting that 23 students whose attendance fell below 70% were not permitted to take their professional tests.

The Provost praised the college administration, including the Deans, Heads of Department, and non-teaching staff, for their high level of commitment and cooperation in making sure that the students receive the finest instruction possible to help them succeed.

In his Induction Lecture, “Beyond Medical Studentship: Coping with Realities of Life as a Doctor,” Prof. Monday Igwe, Medical Director of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, warned the graduates about the difficulties they would face in the profession of medicine.

Prof. Igwe, who was represented by Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Dr. Okwudili Obayi, advised the graduates to pick the proper paths and to refrain from taking on too many jobs at once in order to overcome the hurdles.

He urged them to always pay attention to their health and to avoid drug abuse in order to provide quality service to society, noting that the medical career ladder from housemanship to Chief Consultant are marked by enormous stress from themselves, family members, society, senior colleagues, and co-health workers among others.