Medical students advised to join active politics

For the rot in the medical profession and practice to be corrected, medical students should learn to marry politics with their studies. Besides, for them to aspire to be globally competent and competitive, the students are expected to embrace leadership roles while in school in order to develop themselves. The advice was given by the former Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Edo State chapter, Dr. Philip Ugbodaga during the maiden leadership summit, which took place at the Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo State. The summit was organised by the Nigerian Medical Students Association (NiMSA) as part of efforts at promoting medical practice. Ugbodaga, whose lecture was entitled: “Medicine and Politics: Mentoring Medical Students for Leadership,” lamented that a lot has gone wrong in the medical profession as a result of the attitude of many medical students who shy away from playing active politics. While noting that there is a growing need for political leaders in the health care system and public sector, Ugbodaga said this growing need was one of the reasons why medical students should aspire to take up leadership role in the society right from their universities.

His words: “Medical students and doctors are required by the society to be utmost responsible as compared to others professions. This calls for zero tolerance for them to fail to meet up such expectations. Despite this, though medical students receive no formal or structured guidance about how to become effective community leaders, they only learn by personal experience how to achieve such. This is the reason why the students should begin to take up leadership role in their institutions.” Ugbodaga, who noted that most professions that are doing well have members in the political arena who are advocating for their rights, wondered that “sadly, many medical students are too conscious of the academic workload they have to cover in order not to fail, and hence refused to develop their innate political and leadership skills. He said: “Due to this, they pass through medical schools without any other thing to hold on to, except the academic certificate. If, we have enough medical doctors in the National Assembly, they will push for bills that will better the health sector of the country. Those pending health bills in the assembly will be passed into law, and the medical students will benefit from such since their exchange programmes will be adequately catered for.”

Ugbodaga, who pointed out that it was high time medical students were involved actively in politics and looked beyond the medical profession, said there was need for them to nurture their talents in other fields outside medicine. Meanwhile, the President of Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Edo State chapter, Dr. Amina Okhakhu, in her paper: “Medical Career and Life Outside Medicine: Finding a Balance,” urged the students to always balance whatever activities they have taken alongside their medical studies. She said: “In medical school, the struggle for a balance as medical students between academics and leadership role is usually a difficult task. Medical students in leadership position find reasons to question their choice to participate in politics when faced with the demands of leadership. At times, medical students get disapproval from friends and family over seemingly choice to distract themselves from politics.

All these challenges have reduced the number of medical students in leadership role on Nigerian campuses.” She, therefore, encouraged the students to always strike a balance between leadership role and academic activities, and to be conscious that their primary purpose at medical school is to become qualified doctors. Dr. Okhakhu hinted that despite their engagement in leadership roles and responsibilities, they should always return to their books. The National Vice-President (Internal Affairs) of NiMSA, Oni-Ogunbor Stephani, while welcoming guests to the summit, recalled event was borne out of the current realities in the campuses, saying the programme would address the need for NiMSA to ensure that medical students are well grounded in every facet of the development before their graduation.