In July last year, Uganda Christian University (UCU) marked a milestone as it graduated its first cohort of students of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, and Bachelor of Dental Surgery. Together with fresh graduates from other medical schools in the country, these UCU graduates were deployed by the Ministry of Health as interns in various training hospitals in Uganda, a mandatory requirement for everyone before they practice medicine in the country. Kefa Senoga, a Uganda Partners communications intern, interviewed some of the former UCU School of Medicine (SoM) and School of Dentistry (SoD)  students who are now medical interns. A summary of responses are provided. 

Wasswa Travor (SoM) – ‘maintain an open mind’

Working at Lubaga Hospital has been a wonderful experience. As a Private and Not-for-profit (PNFP) facility, it stands out among other medical facilities due to its well-organized centers, abundant resources, extensive supervision and numerous specialists.

All healthcare facilities run by religious bodies are under PNFP. Lubaga Hospital is a Catholic-founded medical facility.

I have been able to learn and to grow both at a personal and professional level. My confidence levels, too, have improved. I now feel well-prepared for medical practice.

Sometimes the work schedule can be so demanding, but when I get free time, I spend it with the family. The most important lesson I’ve learned from my medical internship is to maintain an open mind. I also have learned that the entire medical internship is for us to learn from senior colleagues.

Basamu Bertram (SoD) – ‘a learning period’
The internship has been full of emotion, anxiety, and happiness. When you complete medical school and go for an internship, you get to practice many things on your own, and, therefore, many decisions are made entirely by you.

In some circumstances, supervision can be insufficient. Supervisors, who are senior doctors, are often overwhelmed by their own workload, sometimes leaving the intern doctors to manage patients on their own.

Despite such challenges, I have maintained a high level of self-control. Even when patients are offensive, I have always remained calm and composed.

Working at Mulago National Referral Hospital also has taught me to be hardworking. A national referral hospital by its nature has many patients, so you have to be ready for hectic work days. We only get two weeks of leave for every six months. As dentists, we engage in more hands-on practice during our internship than we did while at school. That’s why internship has been a learning period for me.

However, I also use the internet to learn more, as well as consult my former classmates and senior colleagues on some unique challenges I may face. I felt excited getting paid for my skills for the first time. We earn about sh1million (about $266) per month as our allowance, although sometimes they are delayed.

Elizabeth Tushabe (SoM) – ‘importance of prayer’

I have learned a great deal and continue to learn from the senior doctors I work with at Kawempe National Referral Hospital. I have been fortunate enough to work with senior doctors who are hospitable and are ready to help. Personally, I have gained extensive knowledge in both medical and non-medical areas from them.

Life outside of school is a whole new experience; we’re no longer students. I’ve had to make many adjustments, with transportation being my biggest challenge. Commuting daily from home to work, especially since it’s a long distance, has been a significant adjustment. I was used to using the university shuttle, but that option is no longer available.

Hearing that other hospitals are providing food and accommodation for their intern doctors also makes me feel a little less fortunate. 

My biggest lesson from this experience is the importance of prayer. As former students of UCU, we have been fortunate enough to have been involved in Christian fellowship while in school.

Birungi Beatrice (SoM) – ‘a good foundation’
Currently, I am an intern doctor at Lubaga Hospital, but adapting to the shift from school to a work environment was daunting. However, with the adaptation came the joy of working in a healthcare facility. I haven’t experienced anything that I would call a challenge. Many of the situations that I have come across are what I would call learning points.

However, one thing I have observed is that what we learned in medical school was a good foundation to build on what we have found in the field. 

Basule Isaac Ahamada (UCU SoM) – ‘occasional shortage’ challenge

Working at two medical facilities — Soroti Regional Referral Hospital and Pearl View Medical Center, Kiwanga, Mukono, where I work as a part time doctor — has been challenging. However, in the challenge, I have been able to grow from a theoretical medical student to a doctor capable of making sound on-the-spot decisions in situations where the outcome would be either life or death. 

While working in Soroti, I’ve faced challenges, particularly with the language barrier. However, I have been able to learn the local language, Ateso, to be able to communicate a few messages to the patients. In other instances, I have been able to use translators when available.

However, the biggest challenge has been occasional shortage of some logistics/services in the hospital, such as certain essential medicines, like the first line malaria drug (i.e artesunate), sterile gauze, blood culture service, meticulous intensive care unit (ICU) services — which leaves many of our patients receiving suboptimal care. 

This experience has instead taught me the importance of providing the best possible care to every patient, the kind of care I would want my loved ones to receive if they were in a similar situation. It’s a reminder that each patient is someone’s cherished family member.