34 Pioneer medical students of the First University of Medical Sciences, (UNIMED), in Ondo town, Ondo state, have been inducted as doctors by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
Recall that the university is the first to have it's induction within eight years of it's establishment in the country.
The Registrar of MDCN, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi, while performing the physician's
oath on the inductees, charged them" to uphold the highest ethical standards in medical practice, reminded them that the profession is a calling that requires utmost dedication and commitment.
Sanusi who described UNIMED as a success story for being the first medical university in Nigeria, said that the institution has the best phantom head laboratory for dental training in Nigeria.
He announced the council decision to increase the quota of the university's medical intakes from 50 to 100.
The Registrar however, said that MDCN, through its disciplinary committee, will not hesitate to sanction any doctor found to be engaging in unethical conduct.
He equally urged "the new doctors to constantly update their knowledge and skills through continuous professional development in order to meet the ever-evolving demands of the healthcare industry.
The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi, who expressed delight at the successful completion of the medical program by the pioneer students in record time, said that the institution is committed to producing highly skilled medical professionals who will contribute to the development of the healthcare sector in Nigeria.
Prof Adesegun said that "This induction ceremony has a special place not only in the annals of the evolving history of UNIMED but also in the history of health professions education in Nigeria.
"No government-owned university in the history of Nigeria in the last two-to-three decades has produced a set of medical doctors as fast as we have now done at UNIMED.
"Today's induction adds significantly to our achievements so far, including turning out two sets of nurses, two sets of physiotherapists, one set of medical laboratory scientists, and four sets of basic health scientists."
The former governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who established the institution during his tenure, expressed delight that UNIMED is the first institution in the country to have its induction within eight years of its establishment in Nigeria.
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Mimiko told the new doctors that "the moment your services become unaffordable for the majority of Nigerians, you have failed.
"Part of the vision is to provide high-quality human resources that are affordable for the masses of our people. So you must always remember that your first duty is to make your services available to the masses.
"Your education has been subsidized considerably. I will not say you should not go to improve on your technical skills and knowledge, but always remember, you have a duty to your nation."
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, said that with his government building on the foundation laid by the immediate past administration, the institution, has distinguished itself as a leading force in Nigeria's medical educational landscape.
Akeredolu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka, described UNIMED as an investment that is yielding returns for the health and education sectors as well as contributing significantly to the nation's overall development.
"Our administration hopes to soon fulfill its obligation of contributing N250 million, which represents a third of the projected cost of construction of the Faculty of Pharmacy building.
Akeredolu added that "We remain resolute and committed to supporting this impactful institution and its leadership to fully realize their vision of providing integrated education and research of exceptional quality in all health-related sciences."
