Doctors of the future

Gulf Medical College (GMC) recently held a convocation ceremony for medical major students.

Dr Thumbay Moideen, President of GMC, who conducted the ceremony, led the Academic Council and the fresh graduates in a parade that was solemn and colourful at the same time. Wearing cloaks of black, red and gold and black convocation caps, the entire group of 83 graduates of MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) and BPT (Bachelor of Physiotherapy) programmes, received their degree certificates from Shaikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman.

Humaid Mohammad Obaid Qattami, Minister of Health, was present to congratulate the students.

In her speech to the gathering Dr Gita Ashok Raj, Dean of GMC, said the graduates' journey to becoming medical professionals was tough indeed but the journey ahead as doctors would be tougher still. She wished them all success in their future ventures and specially mentioned some of the graduates who have achieved placement for higher studies in different medical institutions in the region and beyond.

Best of the best

• First rank holder in the Final MBBS Part II Professional Examination and Best Outgoing Student of the Batch of 2000 Dr Shabina Khan does not remember a time when she didn't want to be a doctor.

"I thought of nothing else but this and even as a young child would watch all doctor and hospital shows on television. I have joined paediatric residency in Hamad General Hospital in Doha, Qatar and should complete it in another four years. I would like to tell all those who aspire to be students of medicine that it is a wonderful profession and they can get into it if they do their best and give their whole heart to it. It doesn't matter if you top your class or not but do the best you can," she said.

• Second rank holder Dr Khalid Mohammad Abulaban said, "I took up medicine because of my father, who is a pediatrician. I have seen him happy to go to work and with a smile on his face always. So I too decided to be a pediatrician and am currently doing paediatric residency in Hamad General Hospital in Doha. I cannot express how happy I am at being a doctor officially after all these years of study."
• Third rank holder Dr Fawaz Al Nori said, "I always wanted to be a doctor. I am the eldest son of my parents, who have supported me in becoming one. Dr Khalid and I are classmates and close friends. We studied together and we continue to inspire each other. I intend to be an orthopedic surgeon and have started my residency in the same hospital as Dr. Khalid. We are at an important juncture of our lives and hope to do well in our higher studies too."
• Best outgoing student and first rank holder in the final BPT Professional Examination, Astha Sharma was inspired to be a physiotherapist when her grandfather Brijbhushan Sharma suffered a stroke some years ago and his physiotherapist helped him to really come back to life from being bed-ridden to walking unassisted. "It made me realise that this is a wonderful profession where I can really help people in a big way. I have passed my Ministry of Health exam and at present I am working as physiotherapist at Al Baraha Hospital in Dubai. I hope to get some experience and then do my masters degree."
• Second rank holder Naufa Jaffar Damda said, "I chose to get a degree in BPT because I didn't want to work in a setting where I needed to use machines all the time. I wanted to help people other than in a hospital setting and this is an excellent way to do that. My parents didn't want to send me abroad and doing this course in GMC was the best way to stay at home and yet pursue my dream. I intend to join a hospital here in the UAE for work. I feel elated that I am getting my degree and rank certificates in the presence of my family, friends and teachers."
• Third rank holder Saadia Tabrez said, "I believe in the motto, 'to save one life is to save humanity' and I am trying to do that in my profession. I have always thought highly of the medical profession and now I am thrilled to be an important part of it. I am already working here as a physiotherapist at GMC hospital but later I plan to do my masters in physiotherapy somewhere abroad.

One of the members of the audience Shadan commented that the convocation ceremony was a wonderful well-organized function. The truth of the statement was evident in the satisfied and happy faces of all those who attended.