Dr Okoro: An excellent medical student
Enoch Darfah Frimpong
Education
4 minutes read
Born in October 1987 to Omotoya Yetunde, of blessed memory, and Mr Benjamin Oyelede Okoro, a retired civil servant, Dr Okoro entered the Medical School at the age of 19 after passing the one year mandatory Biological Science programme at the University of Ghana and a selection interview. She is the last of six girls.
She began her primary school education in 1993 at Plateau Private School, Jos, continued at Rantya Model School, Jos and ended at Camp David Nursery and Primary School, Lagos.
She later attended Federal Government Girls’ College, Akure, from 1998-2004, following which she completed some computer training while awaiting admission to the university.
Dr Okoro, who described her coming to Ghana as an accident due to delays in the admission process to the University of Ibadan, said “attending the University of Ghana is a decision I never regretted.”
That decision, today, has earned her 16 awards which included the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) prize for the best overall student in the Bachelor of Medicine (MB Ch B) Final Part II examination; the Society of Obstetrics and Gynecologists of Ghana prize for best student in Gyneacology, as well as the R.K Obeng prize for best student in Clinical Pharmacology.
Others prizes won by Dr Okoro are the Nana Wereko Ampem II prize for best student in Clinical Obstetrics and Gyneacology; Acheampong prize in Surgery and Harry Sawyerr prize in Medicine and Therapeutics, among others.
Sharing her experiences with the Daily Graphic, Dr Okoro said, “I know this sounds clichéd, or even falsely modest, but it is the truth. God helped me, plain and simple.”
“I know there are really gifted people who probably could have done it ‘on their own’, but I know where my strength comes from. He blessed me with a good mind, memory, and tongue and helped me grasp information easily, retain and apply the knowledge accurately even after long periods,” Dr Okoro said while praising God.
According to her, success is not attained by accident, “you plan for it, you need to find out where you want to go, and these are the attributes that drive my resolve,” she said.
Dr Okoro, who lauded the faculty members of the College of Health Sciences, said, “The faculty gives you everything to succeed. From logistics, resources and all necessary tools that would make one excel.”
She said she would return to Nigeria for her housemanship and a one-year mandatory youth service in her motherland, adding that she intended to pursue a clinical residency programme in the area of surgery, obstetrics and pediatrics and community health as part of her specialisation.
“I also intend to pursue a Master of Science (MSc) degree in public health; I have completed the clinical residency programme," she said.
Dr Okoro, who paid glowing tribute to her father, uncles and siblings for contributing to pay her fees at the medical school, and dedicated all the 16 awards to the entire family.
She is scheduled to meet the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, at a ceremony in Nigeria in the ensuing days. She said in future, she would serve in Ghana, since the country has become part of her life.
Story by Della Russel Ocloo
Writer’s email:
