Babcock’s new medical Graduates urged to make a difference 

Babcock University’s Benjamin Carson College of Health and Medical Sciences has inducted 101 new doctors into the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) during its 10th induction ceremony, marking a major milestone in their journey from students to professional healthcare providers.

In his address, the university’s President/Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ademola Tayo, represented by Senior Vice President (Academics) Prof. Philemon Amanze, reminded the graduates that their MBBS degree is “not an endpoint but a license to begin learning and making a meaningful impact.” He urged them to uphold ethical principles, maintain confidentiality, and “pursue purpose over popularity; seek service, not status.”

Prof. Tayo outlined five guiding pillars for a successful medical career:

1. Competence

2. Compassion

3. Integrity

4. Collaboration

5. Faith as anchor

Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, delivering the keynote address, encouraged the graduates to remain focused despite inevitable challenges. “The path you have chosen is not an easy one,” she said. “To achieve greatness, you must diligently utilise every opportunity and commit to making a lifelong impact on the Nigerian healthcare system and the lives of each person you encounter.”

Provost of the College, Prof. John Sotunsa, described the inductees as caregivers, system reformers, policy influencers, and technology adopters. He urged them to use their skills to improve healthcare delivery and contribute to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

The ceremony also celebrated Chisom Okafor, who emerged as the overall best graduating medical student, earning 10 distinctions in her final MBBS examinations. She received N200,000 from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ogun State, presented by Dr. Luqman Ogunjimi, along with an additional N100,000 each from Dr. Ogunjimi and another benefactor. Anonymous donors also contributed cash gifts in recognition of her exceptional performance.

Representing the MDCN Registrar, Dr. Fatima Kyari, the Head of Registration at MDCN, Dr. Tijjani Ali Mandaka, advised the graduates to acknowledge their limitations and collaborate with colleagues. “With determination, compassion, and integrity, you can make a positive impact in our healthcare sector and beyond,” he said.