The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria has urged newly inducted medical doctors of Gombe State University to uphold professionalism, empathy, integrity and teamwork as they begin their medical careers.
The Registrar of the MDCN, Prof. Fatima Kyari, gave the charge on Tuesday at the sixth attestation ceremony and third annual Prof. Idris Mohammed Lecture organised by the College of Medical Sciences, Gombe State University.
Kyari, who was represented by the Assistant Registrar, Dr Ali Mandaka, described the induction as a defining moment marking the end of the graduates’ undergraduate training and the beginning of lifelong professional responsibility.
She said the College of Medical Sciences had established itself as a centre of excellence in medical education, commending the university management and teaching staff for providing an environment conducive to the training of healthcare professionals.
According to her, the MDCN remained committed to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare workforce and supporting institutions involved in the training of medical professionals.
She said, “Today, you are not celebrating an arrival at your destination, but rather the commencement of the journey into medical practice.
“You have achieved a significant milestone in your lives, but the real work begins tomorrow. The medical profession demands not only knowledge and skills but also empathy and integrity.”
Kyari urged the doctors to treat patients with dignity and compassion, reminding them that every patient had a unique story and deserved respectful care.
She said, “Every patient you encounter is a person with hope and a unique story. They will look to you for care. Please treat them with respect, be kind and leave no one behind.”
The MDCN registrar also advised the newly inducted doctors to respect other members of the healthcare team, stressing that effective healthcare delivery required collaboration among doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, physiotherapists and other health workers.
“The hospital work is a team. If you think because you are a doctor you can work alone, you are mistaken. You must work with other healthcare teams. Everybody is important in the hospital,” she said.
Kyari further urged the doctors to respect their senior colleagues and teachers while encouraging senior healthcare professionals to provide appropriate guidance to younger doctors.
She said professional respect should be mutual and extended to all healthcare workers, including non-clinical staff.
“Do not disrespect anybody in the hospital. Even a porter is very important. The way you want to be respected, you must respect everybody in the hospital,” she said.
On the next stage of their professional training, Kyari disclosed that the council would provide the doctors with provisional registration certificates, after which they would be required to create accounts on the centralised housemanship placement portal and select hospitals for their mandatory one-year housemanship.
She explained that the doctors were required to complete their housemanship within two years of provisional registration.
“You are required to complete your housemanship training within two years of your registration. Once after today’s induction, your provisional registration certificate will be processed, and from that day the time starts,” she said.
Kyari warned that doctors who failed to secure a housemanship placement within the stipulated period could be subjected to an assessment examination by the council before becoming eligible to proceed with the mandatory training.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee, Prof. Ismail Jibrin, urged the inductees to approach their profession with humility, compassion and a strong sense of responsibility.
Jibrin acknowledged the demands and challenges associated with medical practice but said the profession remained deeply rewarding.
He said the doctors would experience moments that would remind them of the importance of their calling, including making critical diagnoses, restoring hope to families and helping patients survive life-threatening conditions.
“I do not promise that the road ahead will be smooth or effortless, but I can assure you that it will be profoundly gratifying,” he said.
Jibrin urged the doctors to allow empathy and service to guide them through moments of exhaustion, uncertainty and ethical challenges.
“Carry the immense privilege, trust and moral weight of your profession with enduring humility, dignity and unfailing compassion throughout all the years of your medical practice,” he said.
PUNCH Healthwise reports that no fewer than 45 medical graduates of the College of Medical Sciences were inducted and commenced the process of their mandatory housemanship at health facilities of their choice.
The Provost of the College of Medical Sciences, Prof. Abubakar Difa, commended the 45 doctors for successfully navigating the rigorous academic and clinical training required to qualify as medical practitioners.
He congratulated the graduates, their parents, and the faculty for their contributions to the successful completion of the training.
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