The Final Year’s MBBS Class of 2010.

Mr. Roderick Mera and Miss. Walesi Natuman, finally looking forward to graduating at the end of this year 2010, after six solid years of studying and pursuing their career as doctors at the Fiji School of Medicine, while Vanuatu is looking forward to receiving them in to the medical team. The two candidates has put in a lot of effort in their studies, and now finally graduating with their Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS).

With word from Miss Natuman, she said “The course that Mr. Mera and I are currently enrolled in is the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS); it is a 6 year undergrad course that for the two of us will be ending hopefully if God wills it this year on the 3rd of December. Unlike other medical schools we have a different approach to learning, the first 3 years is a PBL program or a problem base learning program which was introduced just a few years back; this consists of students going for tutorials, and lectures and slowly introducing us for clinics. PBL basically means that unlike having to take classes for Physiology, anatomy, pathology and having exams at the end of the day, we have a more scenario setting for example, a scenario may be child comes in with a cough, hence from there we learn the anatomy of the lungs, physiology of the lungs how it works oxygen exchange etc… and the different pathology or diseases that can cause a cough. By year 4 and 5 it is more of clinical work mainly based at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWM) we are put into 9 rotations for 9 weeks which require an exam at the end of each rotation in or for you to move to the next rotations the rotations are; Psychiatry, Internal Medicine, Community Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Special topics and Surgery. At the end of year 5 we sit for Exits which is the main exam which allows you to exit from student life into Training Intern year, and hence year 6 is the TI year where 6 months is dedicated to Community Attachment where we are sent to various Sub-Divisional Hospitals to work and to carry out our Primary Health care projects the next 5 months are than spent at the Lautoka Hospital(west viti levu) where we are rotated again in 4 rotation each lasting 5 weeks the rotations being OBGYN, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics with no exams at the end however we are assessed overall and than if successful we are given the go ahead to graduate. Well that is a little about the course that we are undertaking it is a course that requires perseverance, dedication and open mindedness, however there is a lot of time for social activities whatever they may be. Hence my advice to all those currently enrolled, those thinking of getting into this cause continue to peruse and never give up work hard and study smart! The road is long but the journey is short.

Balancing career Vs sports.

Wendy Mera and Cassandra bebe joined the under 21 netball squard when it began in may 2008. Since then they continued to train untill the recive scholarships for university and move to fiji to study in February 2010. Since moving to Fiji, Cassandra, who was a member of the 2009 vanuatu world youth cup team, has been able to balance her studies towards becoming a doctor with her love of netball, and has recently joined a team in Fiji. Joining the team has givem her the opportunity to continue to work on her fitness and make new friends. Congradtulation to these two girls.

Vanuatu’s first Community Rehabilitation Worker (CRW).

Vanuatu is fortunate to have its first ever CRW to study on the specific field of disability, the Fiji school of medicine has develop a new field of studies based on the disability accept of life. The course started last year 2009 and is slowly progressing, however with sponsorship aid from the AusAid, Vanuatu is lucky to enrolled its first ever students to undertake the program (CCDR)Certificate in community Disability and Rehabilitation, Mrs. Marinette Twomy and Mr. Knox Morris from the Vanuatu Society for Disable People and Mr. Pallen Philip from World Vision Vanuatu. With the skills and the knowledge they have gathered during the one year of studies, the Vanuatu’s disability citizens will finally have people to bridge the barrier that is between them to rehabilitate, socially communicate for them, include them and have someone manage their life to live to the fullest. Hopes are for more students to undertake these studies in the future to come.

Profiler of the Week.

Hard Work Counts

Name: Lawrence Boe

Age: 24

Gender: Male

Course: MBBS 5 (Bachelor of medicine and Bachelor of surgery)

Career: Doctor.

Future: Internal Medicine.

“Halo folks, friends na wantoks. It is an honor for me to share with you a little about myself. I come all the way from the island of Maewo in Vanuatu, and I grew up much in the capital Port Vila.  I was privileged to have such a loving and caring family that has always supported me in achieving a quality education. The primary school I went to was Central Primary, and from there I went on for secondary education at Malapoa College. As I grew up I realized life was getting harder and harder. I had more worries and more problems to face. It was at Malapoa College I learnt that to succeed in life you have to work hard. If I wasn’t doing well in school, I wasn’t trying hard enough.  So whatever issues I was facing I stood up against them. Today, here I am at Fiji School of Medicine looking back in retrospect, I thank our Father in Heaven for giving my life a meaning. All that you and I have achieved was not mistake. We should thank ourselves for we have made it this far. Thank ourselves because we make our families proud of whom we are. Hopefully I will graduate next year but I know when I do get that ‘paper’ it will only be the beginning of a life I have in front of me. We all have much to say and much to do so my only message is that with hard work comes great success. Where ever you are in the world; in Fiji, PNG, Phillipines, Vanuatu or Cuba I wish you all the best in life and keep working hard.”

Vanuatu DG of Health visits Vanuatu Medical Students Studying in Fiji

The Director General of Health for Vanuatu Mr. Mark Bebe visited Vanuatu  Medical Students studying in Fiji for the first time in so many years on Sunday the 3rd of October.
The President of Vanuatu Medical Student Association (VMSA), Mr. Ricky Boe Mera gave a welcome speech and was followed by hanging of garland by the girls. In his welcome speech Mr. Ricky thanked the DG for giving 100,000vt for the Independence Celebration and welcomed him to the school.
The visiting delegates and students had a quick lunch followed by a speech by the DG.
In his speech he talked about the importance of studying and the structure of Health Department. Giving time for questions, the student asked questions regarding housing of on-call Doctors, working as a private Doctor after working hours, about the containers for graduating students and many more questions regarding their profession which the DG did his best to answer.
After the questions Mr. Albert Toukoune thanked the DG for answering the questions, then Mr. Sale Vurobaravou gave a presentation on Eton Village Project to be carried out next month. After the presentation the DG has given a green light for financially supporting the project and Dr. Tony Harry has also said that they would help in transporting students during their time for cervical cancer screening.
The visit ended with a prayer and the students had a chance of talking with the DG before he left.

        
  

MBBS students @ Cuba

Vanuatu is very proud for having students attending medical colleges in Cuba.

Inter Tertiary 2010 Soccer

The Fiji school of medicine made another break through this year with a success in soccer, beating all teams from all University around suva, and securing the champion position, the team made from mostly solomon islands students and vanuatu student, with very outstanding performances the team manage to beat USP team in the finals with a score of 3 - 0. The team is looking for word for another big challenge in the next year 2011. Go FSM Go...more action next year....!

New President of the FSM Students Association 2011

 Congratulations to the FSM student association President of 2011, the election results was a joyous and very positive and look forward to result, Mr Sale Vurobaravo a member of the Vanuatu Medical Student association was elected second time to represent the students of the Fiji schools of Medicine. According to the random student interview, they say they a looking for word to enjoy the next year again with the best leadership skills of Mr Vurobaravo, after his leading time in the years 2009 the students enjoyed whatever that is been done with and for them. We wish you the all the best in 2011 working with the new elected responsible people.