By Our Reporter
In its bid to encourage medical students, the OCI Foundation has declared its intention to reward the top three performers with awards for excellence in pathology, a course taken as part of the 3rd MBBS medical examination at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University(NAU) Medical School, Nnewi Campus.
This was disclosed at a brief meeting with the leadership of the University’s College of Health Sciences(CHS) in Nnewi, led by the provost, Prof. Gerald Udeigwe, when a delegation of OCI Foundation announced that the award to be known as the “OCI Foundation’s Award For Excellence in Pathology”, will be an annual programme with cash rewards to be made available to the top three performers in Pathology in graduating class each year.
It was also agreed that the award presentation would be part of the swearing-in and graduating ceremonies for each new batch of medical doctors from the University and will commence immediately from the 2024 batch, expected to be held around October/November this year.
In a letter to the Vice Chancellor of NAU, delivered through the provost of CHS, Prof. Udeigwe, made available to the press, the OCI Foundation stated that “this award is aimed at inspiring improved overall academic performances in medical training, though with a particular focus on pathology”.
The Foundation’s team noted with nostalgia that its founder, Dr. Chris Ifediora, an alumnus of the University’s medical school, made history with the first distinction score in pathology during his 3rd MBBS exam at the Institution, which informed the Foundation’s Board decision to fund this award.
The OCI Foundation also informed the the CHS team that the organization already has multiple undergraduate students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (in both the Nnewi and Awka campuses) on its financial scholarship and free hostel schemes.
They also pledged to continue working with the Institution in finding other ways of further collaborations which will strongly enhance the University’s quest to become a leading provider of medical education in Nigeria and Africa.
The OCI Foundation team was led by Mrs. Jide Udeaja and Mr. Onyibor Machie, accompanied by three Cjyfed Scholars(beneficiaries of OCI Foundation’s undergraduate scholarships) attending the College of Health Sciences of NAU, Miss Chidinma Chiara Amua, Miss Onyinye Vivian Ezeike and Praise Adaugo Kelvin.
The prizes are: 150,000:00 naira for the best student, 100,000:00 naira for the 2nd best student and 70,000:00 naira for the 3rd best student, with a total of 320,000:00 naira per annum (for now) starting from the graduation ceremony this year.
