- Emmanuel Meta-juwa: Hi, Tell us about you self:
Dr Seun Bello : My name Is Oluwaseun Juliet Bello, I am 24 years old and I just concluded my final medical exams. I am from Oyo State. I am the current class representative of the final year Class.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: Can you tell us your best Experience in Medical School:
Dr Seun Bello: That will be my surgery postings especially Surgery 1. The teachings from the residents and many other factors, helped me realise I could be more than average and that stayed with me going forward.
Emmanuel Meta- juwa: Your not so good Experience?
Dr Seun Bello: hmmm that was early 2020, before we went home. I was overwhelmed with a lot of things and I wanted to stop every extra-curricular activity I was involved with and just cope somehow with the academic workload at the time. Going home then was a blessing until it became a prolonged stay but I am better for it.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: What are your plans post Medical school?
Dr Seun Bello: I plan to do my housemanship, and start preparations for foreign medical examinations, hopefully I specialise in something Surgery related. I will get married and have children also, and with at least a postgraduate degree somewhere in the mix
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: How has COVID affected you?
Dr Seun Bello: Personally, I had to cancel a lot of plans as regards family and foreign professional exams. Academically, it also caused the final examinations and ultimately, graduation.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: What are your hobbies?
Dr Seun Bello: I like playing phone games. My favourites are Subway surfers and Cooking fever. I also read a lot of novels and love discovering new songs.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa:Your Class is known as Maximus, what does that mean to you?
Dr Seun Bello:It is a name that symbolises strength, resilience. As a set that has gone through a lot of things (NASU strike during every MB exam except the finals, protracted ASUU strike at the beginning and end of medical school and other forms of delay). The name means that despite everything we have faced we have stayed strong and will come out stronger.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: How do you relieve stress post Exams?
Dr Seun Bello:The first thing I do is pray and commit everything into God’s hand then I sleep for the first night and then group hang outs. Later, I go home and travel to Lagos to further de-stress.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: what are the challenges you faced being the class representative:
Dr Seun Bello: First, being a Class Rep comes with a lot of responsibility. When the responsibility came, I wasn’t expecting it and also it was at the beginning of a new posting.It wasn’t easy at all, as there were a lot of changes and innovation due to the COVID pandemic.
There were new heads of Departments and new requirements made by these departments. However, a lot of them made it easy, by listening to the student’s side. My classmates were also supportive. An important thing was delegating responsibilities amongst other class leaders.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: How do you feel about not having your final year dinner
Dr Seun Bello: Personally, I do not feel so bad because the last one was on my birthday and I got surprise fireworks and so that was a good last UIMSA dinner to have. Generally though, we missed out on having ‘our’ dinner ( you know how you most people don’t go for their dinner till the final year one) A lot of preparations were already in montion but we understand that Covid happened and it is still happening.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: If you were to practice where would you specialise in and why
Dr Seun Bello: I would most likely practice in something Surgery related. I have options like ENT, and Gastrointestinal Surgery. I enjoyed my Surgery and Special postings, the teachings, the principles of management that were preached!. Surgery was a lot more straightforward, you go in and be able to solve the puzzle of what the patient comes in with. You treat and the patient is out.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: If given another chance to take the role of the class rep. Would you do it on more time?
Dr Seun Bello: Yes, I will definitely do it majorly because of the experience and exposure that comes with the job. The support I received made it a whole lot better and it helped with managing relationships with people and teachers and handling difficult situations. Finally, it is an opportunity to serve and that is something I won’t shy away from.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: Tell us a fun fact about yourself?
Dr Seun Bello: I really like the number 7. I pick it everytime I am asked to say a number. I also like mint currency notes. If you want me to save cash, just give me mint money I will most likely not spend them except in Church.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: What was your most enjoyable Posting?
Dr Seun Bello: Igboora Posting and Elective Posting. I saw a lot of procedures during the Elective Postings, procedures that we only see in our textbooks here. I also had a lot of fun during that posting. Igbo-Ora was another stress-free posting and coincidentally my birthday was during the posting that year. Trust me, I had fun!
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: who is your best Consultant?
Dr Seun Bello: I have a lot. On the basis of teaching style, Prof Irabor GI and Prof Ogunniyi Neurology, they are very vast in what they know and the comfortable atmosphere they create when they are teaching you makes it easy to assimilate and answer questions smoothly.
On the basis of relationships with students Dr T.A lawal and Dr Eniola Cadmus. They have great skills with interacting with students.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: Which departkent would you consider to be your best?
Dr Seun Bello:Psychiatry and this is because of the exposure of each posting leading to the final MB. No stone is left unturned. They also don’t hoard marks. If you merit a distinction, it will be given to you.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: what was your best Moment as a Brownite?
Dr Seun Bello: Hmmmmm… Maybe becoming one because that meant I had passed my first professional examination and was closer to graduation.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: what is your advice to Younger Medical Students?
Dr Seun Bello: First of all, always seek God’s face. God should be with you in every step, because medical school is not strictly hardwork or smart work. You need His favour to speak for you along in this struggle.
It is very important to build a good CV by joining organizations, volunteering and contesting but also remember you are a student first. “Don’t do too much that your studies suffer and don’t do too little that you have little or no impact”. If for some reason you find yourself in a leadership position, please delegate as much as possible don’t carry all the burden by yourself.
Have fun too. Medical students have fun so you can de-stress and protect your mental space.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: Give a shout out to your Class mates
Dr Seun Bello: MaXXImus!!!!!!!!!!! It was fun doing Medical school with you from 100level. You are all filled with talents the world is just discovering. I really hope that we do well in wherever we will find ourselves, Medicine or not and that we fulfil God’s purpose, most importantly. I will ask that we please stay in touch with one another and God be with us all. Amen.
Emmanuel Meta-juwa: Thank you so much for joining us Dr Seun Bello 😁