Benin City: The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, MLSCN, has charged newly inducted graduates of Medical Laboratory Science, Wellspring University, Benin City to be good ambassadors of the noble profession by ensuring accurate test results which provide the basis for good public health.
Registrar of the Council Dr Ronald Offili gave this charge in Thursday at the formal induction and oath taking ceremony for the pioneer Medical Laboratory Science graduates of the university.
Represented by the Director, Medical Laboratory Scientist’s Regulation and Discipline, Mr Gregory Uchuno, the Registrar advised the inductees to observe the dictates of the oath taken and the ethics of the profession in the course of their practice.
The oath taking ritual according to the Registrar, symbolised the Council’s willingness to formally induct them into the Medical Laboratory Science profession after having been found worthy in character and learning by the University.
He informed them that their professional conduct would be guided and closely monitored by the Council to ensure the preservation of professional integrity and protection of public health in line with the Council’s management reform objectives.
He appreciated the management of the institution for showing leadership in the inpartation of both academic and moral lessons as demonstrated in the close working relationship with the Council which culminated in the hitch free induction ceremony.
The Vice Chancellor of Wellspring University Prof Isaac Rotimi Ajayi, in his address, expressed joy at the milestones achieved by the university within its few years of existence, particularly the graduation of its pioneer Medical Laboratory Scientists.
Prof Ajayi who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Patrick Ohikhena, admonished the young inductees to embrace ethics, integrity and accountability to succeed in their chosen profession.
According to him, technical competence alone would not make them them excellent professionals they wish to become, urging them to embrace discipline, compassion and respect for quality assurance.
“Your commitment to professional competence must be laden with discipline, compassion, and above all, a commitment to ethical practice.
You must develop strong commitment to quality assurance and patient safety. This is not based on chance but adherence to standard procedures and practices, internal quality control and culture of proper documentation”, the Vice Chancellor explained.
He said that adherence to standard practices and procedures was the only means by which accurate medical laboratory investigation results which are central to patients’ general health solutions can be guaranteed.
Earlier in her address, the Acting Dean, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Dr Mary Kehinde Ayanlere said the occasion marked a significant milestone in the academic journeys of the pioneer inductees, the pride of the University, and sense of fulfillment in their parents taking into account the sacrifices, hard work and commitment to succeed in their chosen course of study.
She congratulated them for becoming full fledged MLS professionals after surviving rigorous hours of laboratory guidance, demanding examinations and long hours of lectures which were necessary tools needed to attaining their current statuses as qualified professionals.
She advised them that the acquired degree, was not a destination in itself but a mere key to launch themselves into providing tangible healthcare solutions that would benefit society, given the fact that laboratory investigation constitutes the bedrock of modern medicine.
She urged them to approach their duties with unyielding integrity, precision and empathy as they stripped into the core professional turf, especially in the face of rapid changes in global medical health investigations, thus necessitating the need for self upgrade to fit into it.
She commended the university’s management for providing the necessary environment and resources to nurse the faculty from its infancy through funding, equipment and infrastructure, to its present success story.
