The event marked a paramount achievement in the history of the University of the Gambia, especially in the medical profession, signifying the contribution of young people in the medical field in recent years.
Representative of the Chief Medical Director of EFSTH, Dr Cherno Jallow, during his welcoming remarks, alluded the achievement of significant milestones by the newly inducted students to their noble profession.
Jallow further explained to the inductees that that achievement is just the beginning of their journey, saying their hardship and trials are fully recognised, and greater challenges lay ahead in their career path.
“House job is a period of internship, a period of learning. Now that you have been inducted, meaning that more responsibilities will be put to you,” he said. “More will be given to you, and you'll be expected to deliver. But there's one thing we always say, a doctor has to be safe. So, for you to be safe, you are required to undergo this process, which is a process of training.
“We are happy that you are coming in, and know that the EFST Hospital is ready to offer you the best house job training. By default, it's the only training ground for house officers currently. Whatever the number is, we would welcome you, and we would want to get all the number in, but it's not automatic, so after today, don't go and be knocking the doors of the chairman of the board of the hospital or the chief medical director's office. It's not automatic,” he said.
Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Herbert B. Robinson, in his address, congratulated the graduates on their achievement and emphasised the importance of the ceremony in formally inducting them into the medical profession. He highlighted the ethical responsibilities they now bear, urging them to uphold integrity, professionalism, and patient-centered care throughout their careers. The newly inducted doctors were reminded that their journey has just started, with many challenges ahead, thus an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on society.
“Reflecting on the university’s progress, since its establishment in 1999, the institution has trained 485 doctors, 402 Gambians and 83 from other nationalities. However, I acknowledged the persistent challenges faced in the medical school, including limited infrastructure, faculty shortages, and inadequate clinical training spaces.”
He stressed the urgent need for modern laboratories, more clinical spaces, and innovative learning tools such as a virtual anatomy dissecting table.
The Vice-Chancellor further expressed gratitude to the government, development partners, and international collaborators, including Nigeria and Cuba, for their support in strengthening Gambia’s healthcare education.
Vice President of the Gambia West African College of Physician, Dr Effua Yusuff, in her statement congratulated the graduands for their hard work and dedication, recognising their personal and collective achievements.
She reiterated that, all professionals have their own fair share of challenges, most especially in the medical journey with various difficulties faced in obtaining a medical degree, and addresses the healthcare challenges in Africa, including infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and road traffic accidents.
She ended by highlighting the importance of improving medical education in Africa, so as to strengthen health systems and address the issue of physician migration, while urging the graduands to consider contributing locally to the country’s healthcare.
