The candidates who constitute the second batch of medical students from the University of Buea successfully defended their thesis recently.

The University of Buea will soon graduate its second batch of medicine students. To this effect, some 66 would-be doctors have concluded their defense of thesis exercise at the Bomaka campus B site of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The students who have spent seven years in training were supervised by renowned Medicine Professors from other sister universities across the country, amongst them former Cameroon's Minister of Public Health, Prof. Gottlieb Lobe Monekosso.

According to the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Buea, Professor Ngowe Ngowe Marceline, the 66 candidates; 15 of them female, are well trained general practitioners who have acquired adequate skills in paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology, community health amongst others.

The Dean is confident that the students are ready to work anywhere in the country after having been through community health in rural areas and big hospitals in towns. Prof. Ngowe added that the present graduating batch witnessed an extension of one year from six years put in by the previous batch to seven years following the Ministerial decision to harmonize the length of medicine studies in all medical schools in the country.

With the extension, he affirmed that the quality of medical doctors to be sent out is assured. The Dean also expressed joy that the government will absorb the graduating student doctors upon graduation.

The students presented thesis on varied topics related to medicine and public health to the satisfaction of members of the jury. Some of the students who spoke to CT expressed happiness to have successful come to the end of their tedious training attributing their success to hard work and devotion.

Shouts of joy from family members who thronged the different halls for the defense characterised the hitherto serene citadel of learning at the Bomaka neighbourhood. At the end of the defense, end of course certificates will be awarded to the candidates in a convocation ceremony that will take place in July 2014.