College of Medicine Alumni Commits to Students, Young Doctors’ Mentorship

The 2004 alumni set of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL) has demonstrated commitment to the mentorship of students and young doctors as part of its give-back project.

Speaking ahead of the 20th anniversary celebration of the Alumni, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Dr. Olayemi Dawodu, said that association is investing millions of naira in upgrading learning facilities, to reaffirm its commitment to infrastructural development, mentorship and the advancement of medical education.

To mark the 20th anniversary of their graduation, the alumnus, who gathered under the theme, ‘20 Years Strong: Our Journey So Far’, described the reunion not only as a celebration, but also as a reaffirmation of the purpose that drew them to medicine and the values of service, resilience, and compassion instilled by the institution.

Dawodu, said the past two decades had seen the alumni practice medicine amid limited resources, pandemics, systemic pressures, and rapid technological change. She stressed that the anniversary was also an opportunity to look ahead and build a legacy anchored on uplifting others.

 She explained that mentorship lies at the heart of the reunion, as today’s medical students face a more complex healthcare environment than previous generations.

She said the class was committing to an intentional and sustained mentorship platform to connect alumni with students and young doctors for career guidance, clinical exposure, research support, wellness, advocacy, and leadership development.

Dawodu further said that the give-back project rests on three pillars: infrastructure development, teaching, and role modeling. She stated that alumni were upgrading classrooms to make them more conducive to learning and equipping them with modern technologies, adding that many members of the class currently serve as lecturers at the College of Medicine.

On planned reunion symposium, she explained that it will feature about 30 speakers, and was designed to expose students to diverse career journeys both locally and abroad, while also serving as a channel for identifying mentors to follow and learn from.

Speaking on emerging trends, LOC member Dr. Omolara Odunsi highlighted that Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medicine had become an inevitable tool and should be embraced responsibly. She revealed that AI in medicine and dentistry would feature during the reunion symposium.

Another LOC member, Dr. Adetunji Adenukan, observed that youth migration in the health sector is driven by both push and pull factors, including inadequate investment in healthcare. He said improved funding and infrastructure could encourage young professionals to remain in Nigeria.