PAMO University of Medical Sciences is on many lips for its outstanding standard of education and commitment to filling the gap in the medical field. Blessing Ibunge reports
Accolades keep rolling in for PAMO University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), which recently held its first induction ceremony for the Department of Medical Laboratory Science.
The latest réclame was from the Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Dr Tosan Erhabor. Lauding the institution, Erhabor declared it the best in medical sciences in the country.
His praise came on the heels of the Registrar of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Farouk Abubakar, who hailed the institution for the great work it is doing to increase the manpower base of the medical sector, as well as its high standards, during its first induction ceremony for graduates of Nursing Science.
Abubakar also advised the fresh graduates to adhere to the ethics of the nursing profession and display humility and honesty in their practice at all times.
Erhabor, likewise, during his speech at the induction ceremony, commended the university for training the graduates in both knowledge and character such that they can withstand any challenge in society. Erhabor advised the management of the university and students to continue to show that “mentorship and hard work pays, not cutting corners. This university has come to show that it is doable if we all put our hands on deck that Nigeria will be a better place for us.”
PAMO since its inception has been dedicated to building healthcare workers, including medical doctors, nurses and other allied courses in the country. Well-equipped and furnished to world standard, the university, situated in a serene environment in Port Harcourt, has been playing a key role in nation-building by moulding the teeming youth population through its teaching, research and community services.
Accredited and recognised by bodies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Medical Laboratory Council, among others, has given it a top-of-mind mention for parents seeking the best education in medical sciences for their wards.
Since its establishment five years ago, PAMO has been closing the gap in the medical field caused by emigration. It admits and trains students in different medical sciences fields. For instance, its nursing department offers four graduate certificates: Registered Nurse, Registered Midwife, Registered Public Health Practitioner and Bachelor of Nursing Science degree.
In addition, its determination to ensure that the students graduate in record time has also boosted its reputation unlike in other universities where students often spend between six and seven years before they enter the labour market.
With its position as a world-class institution, it is no wonder it keeps receiving acclaim for its high educational standard.
One of the university’s greatest strengths is that it already has an existing teaching hospital established by its founder, a renowned medical doctor established in the 1980s called PAMO Clinics and Hospitals Group.
The hospital has been at the forefront of providing high-class medical care and services to residents and visitors to Port Harcourt and Rivers State for nearly 40 years. Over the years, it has provided high-quality medical treatment and health promotion services spanning Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics to individuals, families and corporate organisations spanning sectors such as energy, oil and gas, power, agriculture and construction.
This means that from takeoff, the hospital has been aiding students right from the early stages in order to have full medical knowledge and experience. This is unlike other universities whose students are not exposed to hospital experience until they are at the 400 level.
Little wonder the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Michael Diejomaoh, recently said that with PAMO University’s establishment, Nigerian students seeking to study medicine do not need to travel overseas.
The high point of the induction ceremony was when the Pro-Chancellor, Dr Peter Odili, promised to give the 13 inductees N100,000 each, N200,000 to the best graduating students from the department and N500,000 to the overall best graduating students, Nathaniel Chimeka Deborah, and automatic employment as a lecturer in the institution.
The former Rivers governor also advised the graduates to be exceptional in discipline and attitude to their patients and those who work with them.
He said: “As you start work in the next few days, we will note if you are carrying the flag of PAMO very well and if found qualified, will have automatic employment in the university. Those who made first class will have automatic employment as a lecturer in the institution.”
