The Vice Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, Professor Edward Olanipekun, has called on the government at all levels to invest more in the training of medical students in Nigerian universities.
Olanipekun explained that investment in facilities and equipment for medical students would enable them to discharge their duties in offering quality medical attention to citizens.
The VC, who spoke during the induction ceremony of 58 students of the university’s College of Medicine by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), said it would be suicidal for Varsities to produce half-baked medical graduates.
He added that the nation’s health sector deserved the best brains of experts with quality training, saying that, unlike other disciplines in higher institutions, medical training was more practical than theoretical.
Olanipekun said, “The medical line is different from others; it is going to be suicidal to have half-baked medical doctors. I think this will be waiting for the president’s approval.
“We need to upgrade the facilities at our universities. Medicine is not a theoretical profession, and it is capital-intensive.
“ We cannot have a half-baked medical doctor; if we do so, it is at our own peril. We must ensure our medical students receive the best training.”
He said the university has been approved by the National University Commission to start some programmes across major colleges, adding that these programmes would soon be unveiled.
“We have a lot of success stories to tell; where we were six years ago is not where we are now, but at least we have teaching hospitals in the state.
“We have signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with our distinguished son of Ekiti to acquire his premises; the premises are just a stone’s throw from the teaching hospital, which will be for our medical students,” he said.
The Provost, College of Medicine, Professor Oladimeji Ajayi, said, “I want you (graduates) to cast your mind on all the knowledge and skills in your life that you will use in your house service.
“ I charge you today not to be satisfied by acquiring MBBS but to go to the world to acquire more knowledge; go to the world and hit the ground running.”
