The Journey Thus Far

I remember when I was seeking for admission, it seems so long to me. I filled my jamb for dentistry and dental surgery, all i knew was i want to be a doctor, I never knew what it entails to be a dental surgeon. Maybe i would have chose wiser.

The journey began in 2012 when we signed up for a 6 years course, lol and behold there was singing and💃. Everyone celebrated my success into school. The processes began with registration and clearance, the joy of been in school was overwhelming.
Classes began in Year 1, even with the crowd and heat generated from our class room in ofrima, we still strived to do well with the basic sciences. As lectures ran and time spent we learnt we needed an average of 50 after the sums in the major courses to move to the next class, this was a little strange to us but the struggles continued. It was the end of the session and the cumulatives was done, some of us were left behind to repeat the session.

Year 2 was a completely different thing we knew, we were introduced into the world of always dressing corporately and into big books( anatomy, physiology and biochemistry). Where do one start from and end was the questions rolling in my head, one could easily read amiss. The lecturers needed to be carefully understood and their materials and books of chose noted. Lest i forget the world of cadavers, were we need to dissect the bodies for our learning. Can you imagine my first expression😷😯 with the smell of formalin, it was more or less survival of the fittest. Some with the necessary materials could hold on to it, maybe their aims was to be BGS (best graduating student), 😀😅.
The race continued, year 3 gave us a smile with everyone carried along.
The first professional examination to end the preclinical classes that will lead to clinical classes was approaching and everything learnt from year 2 needed to be read and revised. This was a torn to our flesh with little or lack of sleep, mid night candles was burnt. Class rooms was our normal habitats, I learnt to read for almost 15 hours daily. The tension was increasing, the thought of viva (oral exam by external examiner) was something else.
Exams began with essays, then mcq, then practical and viva with different expressions 😊😵😑😢.
The day of judgement came, there was lots of anxiety. Questions like, will I make it?, do I have a resit (that will be 3 months later), if yes how many?, what have they decided in their board meetings? All asked, the stress was greater.
Come and see the joy when the results are out and you made it without a resit, you cant hold back from celebrating with us in ofrima😀. The joy reduces when someone fails out of dental school.

Clinical classes began with pathology and pharmacology. With the heavy work load, classes 8 or 9am to 5pm was hell. 75% attendance was mandatory for both courses and everything needed to be in order, consistence was the key to survive. The thought of microorganisms and drugs to know was cumbersome. Pharmacology test results was not encouraging, but we continued because the journey must have an end.
We got a new VC and policies gradually changed no school fees no examinations. Student protested and school was shut down, a student was killed.

To be continued, thanks.