Kwame Wiredu Rockson

We are here with the class president of the MBCHB 2 class, The Rock! We are going behind this solid rock of a man and uncover his personality to know more about his aspirations and inspirations (not Medical ones, of course).

WC: Hello, The Rock!! Could you please tell us a bit about yourself?

KWR: I’m Kwame Wiredu Rockson. I was born in Kumasi in 1989. I am the first born of my dad and mom, the middle born of all the children of my dad, and the last of all the sons of my dad. Because of the mobile nature of my dad’s work, we relocate residence almost every 2 years, but currently the family resides at Anwiankwanta on the Obuasi road.

I’m from Effiduase in the Ashanti Region, a town I’ve been there only on 2 occasions so I may not be able to say much about it. People describe me with all sorts of words: outward, a little reserved, people person, too formal, etc. But I believe a perfect combination of all these is who I really am.

To comment on my likes and dislikes, I would say that I’m a utilitarian. I believe value lies in usefulness. I tend to like things that have the most usefulness to the greatest number of people on condition that the means of attaining or acquiring that thing is as good as its usefulness

WC: How about your about your educational background.

KWR: I got most of my basic education from a government school. I was born in a rather middle class family and my parents struggled a little to establish a solid educational foundation for us because of the nature their work. At that time the standard of government schools was excellent unlike what it is now. From Shalom Preparatory School class 4, we moved to Nkawie where I was moved to class 5 that same term. (ie I attended class 4 and 5 in the same year). From there, I had my Junior Secondary education in the same town. After JHS, I continued at Toase Secondary School, a school I never thought of attending, but through which I’ve reached these heights today, a school where moral discipline was thought as a subject, and students were always encouraged to work hard because “Progress Lies In Hard Work”. My secondary education was one of a success, winning so many awards for my school and district, and on one occasion, represented Ashanti Region,as the best mathematics student in the region in 2006 during the 32nd MAG Conference; the final at the national level was at Adisco, where I came 4th.

WC: Sa Sick Form!!! We see you are really busy, do you have time for any hobbies?

KWR: My life has been such that there appears to be no leisure pursuit. What I mean by this is that, even what I do during my leisure hours is considered as work by some people. Most part of my leisure hours is spent in-doors. I enjoy a lot of reading on a wide range of topics: leadership, relationships, business, law, and the rest. I have great interest in creative hobbies: graphic designing, photoshoping, ect. I study some languages too (Spanish and French during such times), but in the background of all these activities is some cool music, that it an integral part of my pastime

WC: What was your motivation for coming to medical school?

KWR: I hold a contrary view to what people mean by it is a ‘calling’ to become a doctor. If a child sees a doctor and decides to become a doctor and live his /her life as the doctor he has seen, what is the calling in this? I know people who have degrees in biochemistry and biological sciences, and having worked for some time, have changed the direction and are now reading medicine. I believe it is about what you believe can do best to touch most lives, and to help humanity as far as possible and at the same time living the life without frustration or lack of want, and this is my greatest motivation.

WC: You have been in SMS for the past 4 years! What are your impressions about SMS so far?

KWR: School of Mental Stress, as they say, is a very nice place to be. I usually tell my colleagues that if it were for studies alone, Medical School would have been 4 years, as it is for the other university programs. But something more to this is our maturation. After 6 years in SMS, if one cannot describe himself as transformed, then that person didn’t allow himself the most impact on his life. SMS is truly a place of transformation!!

WC: You are definitely right about it being a place of transformation. What do you like and dislike the most about SMS?

KWR: Well, being a class president for some time now, I’ve come to realize that our departments are still not very matured, 36 years after the medical school was established and this tell how slow development in the school is. I strongly dislike it when our lecturers make us feel they are doing as a favour by lecturing us, when they take delight in trailing students and never sit down to assess or find out the cause of those massive failures, and their lack of openness to listen to concerns from their own students. The student who airs out his views publicly may not want to complete medical school. I think medical school would be a nicer place to be if some of these issues are addressed.

WC: What is your current grabbing status; Married, Single and not ready to mingle, Civil union?

KWR: Currently, I’m single, ready to mingle

WC: Where do you hope to see yourself in the future?

KWR: I hope to spend some time as a practitioner, and then I will venture into health administration, so I can speak for the less privileged ones, and also try my best to address issues that our leaders today have no idea about

WC: That’s inspiring. Any piece of advice or secret to surviving SMS you want to leave with us?

KWR: I would convey the same message of Quaid-e-Azam, the 20th century lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan: “Work, work and hard work. This is the only key of success.”

Thanks a lot for this opportunity.

WC: Thank You too, Dr. Rock!!!