Medical students from the University of Rwanda (UR), University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), and the School of Medicine in East and Central Africa based in Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA), got together in an event dubbed MEDSAR Day 2023, on March 18. The event was aimed at mentorship, career guidance, and networking between medical students and healthcare practitioners in Rwanda to train and shape them into future healthcare providers and global health leaders. ALSO READ: FEATURED: Reducing maternal deaths through mobile mentorship Participants from government organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders in the medical field attended the event to offer their insights and support to the students. Dr. Brian Chirombo, the World Health Organization Representative to Rwanda, shared his wisdom with the medical students and emphasized the importance of being a holistic doctor who prioritizes the overall health and well-being of patients and communities. “Healthcare is more than a clinician in a white coat waiting for a sick patient. It is about a practitioner seeing a complete person that requires a full range of services. It is time to rethink - the future is in your hands,” he said. ALSO READ: Most medical students in Rwanda suffer “poor sleep quality”- research Dr. David Ntirushwa, an Obstetrician and Gynecologist at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, CHUK, motivated and empowered medical students to become better future healthcare providers by reminding them to work ethically and professionally. He urged them to go back to the roots or causes of diseases and fight to prevent them, adding that this way, they will be helping more people. Dr. Aflodis Kagaba, Executive Director of Health Development Initiative (HDI), swayed the medical students towards intersectionality in exercising both medicine and public health for their personal growth and success. He advised them to serve their community and incorporate humanity skills in their practice, saying that the most rewarding thing in life is giving back to the community. ALSO READ: Medical students urged to leverage technology to improve health systems The medical students were charged with the question of why they joined medicine. They were told that their answer should always come from a heart of charity – helping the needy and the sick, and not financial gains. They were advised to leverage chances being offered by the government to further advance their learning, using technology, grants, and scholarships for research. Norbert Tuyishimire, a fourth year medical student at the University of Rwanda and President of MEDSAR, highlighted the importance of joining together to meet icons in the medical field and how it has advanced medical students throughout the years. “We learn a lot from them. We look up to them and anything they have to say is worth listening to. These mentors ease our path by offering a sneak peek into how life as a medical doctor should be like; the moral principles and more,” he said. The students appreciated the government's efforts in helping them pursue their interests in a safe environment, and offering them equipment necessary for learning. They vowed to pay back the country's efforts in the near future once they graduate. ALSO READ: Why every student should have a mentor Students also had time to join different groups for mentorship sessions depending on their area of interest. In the groups, medical practitioners helped offer a new perspective on what the students wanted to know or learn. The medical students left motivated and empowered to become better future healthcare providers and global health leaders.
