Akosua Asieduwaa Adu-Koranteng

Heiya! The MSA spotlight committee hits you with our latest interview. Our spotlight for this week is no other person but our very chic and smart Akosua Asieduwaa Adu-Koranteng of MbChb 2.

SC: Could you please tell us your name?

Akosua: Okay, I’m Naana Akosua Asieduwaa Adu- Koranteng.

SC: Let’s hear a bit about yourself?

Akosua: Okay, I was born on 10th June and I attended Grace International School at Tantra Hills, I went to Aburi Girls Senior High School and to Med school although I had never thought of being in Med school, I wanted to do aerospace engineering but I was convinced by my Dad to do medicine.

SC: What about your family?

Akosua: Okay, uum, I’m in family of seven, I have four siblings and I’m the fourth child. Almost all my siblings are into business and banking and I have a kid brother in first year medical school.

SC: What do your parents do?

Akosua: Uum, my Dad is a chartered accountant and my mum is a business woman.

SC: Your Dad convinced you to read medicine so he could have a doctor in the family?

Akosua: (Laughs), I think so, on the contrary he excited my thoughts on reading aerospace engineering and when the results (WASSSCE) arrived, he asked me to do medicine.

SC: So your results motivated you to do medicine?

Akosua: It motivated my dad to convince me to read medicine (laughing).

SC: And you were convinced.

Akosua: Yeah, think so.

SC: So what has it been like for you in medical school?

Akosua: Ooh okay, it’s been great. I didn’t think I would enjoy it but it’s been great and fun although I’m not the very serious type. I like having fun a lot but I think I’ve sailed through up to 5^th year so I’m managing (laughing).

SC: Being the MSA treasurer in HB2, how well did you manage it, you know, combining it with the academic pressures and all?

Akosua: It wasn’t easy but it was good.

SC: What motivated you to run for MSA treasurer?

Akosua: Apart from friends, I had been in the financial committee since first year and became the secretary in second year so I was motivated by the fact that I helped raise funds through first, second year and I was an active member of my class on the committee.

SC: What has been your motivation in medical school?

Akosua: Hmm, I’ve always had it in mind that other people have made it, so I can also make it. I’ve always loved kids and always wanted to help them, so I’m thinking of reading pediatrics. So now that I find myself in medical school, I see it as an opportunity to make those dreams come true.

SC: Any favorite lecturers?

Akosua: (Laughs), oh i love all my lecturers but I think TBK was great especially when I met him at micro b orals….

SC: How is your social life like?

Akosua: I have a very big life outside medical school. During my leisure time, which I think I always do have up until an impending exams, I like sleeping, chatting with friends and visiting them as well, just going out to places…

SC: Do you have any special abilities you would be confident enough to call talents?

Akosua: Yeah, I love singing and I have been in choirs all my life

SC: Ok,so what is your favourite song

Akosua: My favorite song is ummm, I think its “y3nk) nkoaa” and the azonto dance(laughs)

SC: I will like to talk more about MSA. What do you think is so fascinating about MSA?

Akosua: I think MSA has always been the best student body in terms of everything.

SC: MSA, then and now, any change?

Akosua: The MSA I met was fun, the dinners, socializing; I don’t think it’s so much less than it was either, if anything, I guess there is more room for improvement.

SC: What do you think about the current executives of MSA?

Akosua: I think they are doing a good job, especially the health committee. They did well in organizing this year’s health week, although it wasn’t easy. It’s very easy to criticize leaders not until you are in their shoes.

SC: You were the FGMSA vice president, right?

Akosua: Yes.

SC: Why did you not vie for MSA president but went in straight for FGMSA vice president?

Akosua: I have been asked this question several times, but I really don’t have an answer to that. I was appointed to be the FGMSA vice president because the candidate then, was disqualified and after going through a latter vetting with four other people, I was appointed .

SC: How will you describe yourself as a leader?

Akosua: I think I’m a leader for the people. One secret in leadership is involving your people in everything and making them aware of whatever is going on. By doing this you realize everyone comes along with you.

SC: What does FGMSA do as a body?

Akosua: Apart from the congresses we hold and the exchange programs, we encourage cooperation amongst all the medical schools and we also consider the health week as a national program so that FGMSA will be recognized as a body just like the local MSAs.

SC: Do we hope to see you in national politics some time to come?

Akosua: I’ve had this question too many times, right from junior high I’ve held positions and as at now I’m an “aggressive” NPP member. But I haven’t thought of going into politics and it’s not a no go area so then we wait to see (she laughs)

SC: What’s your philosophy of life?

Akosua: The golden rule: do unto others what you want others to do unto you. I hate disappointments and as such I try as much not to disappoint others as well.

SC: Do you think medicine as a science is making progress in the modern world?

Akosua: Mmm, yes I think it is. There are a lot of things coming up that is making medicine better.

SC: And …erm… the Hippocratic Oath, is it worth swearing it? I mean, based on the fact that it is more often than not broken, instead of held in high esteem.

Akosua: It’s always been a sign of pledging allegiance to the profession.

SC: Do you think doctors are men of integrity?

Akosua: They should be, not all doctors are but they should be.

SC: What do you think about doctors going on strike?

Akosua: You can’t really say it’s good and you can’t really say it’s bad. If you say it’s good, you won’t be fair to the patients who are dying and if you say it’s bad you won’t be fair to the house officer who schooled for 6 years and go on duty 24/7.

SC: Remember the oath.

Akosua: The oath doesn’t say we should starve as doctors. We are not getting what we are worth. I’m not in full support of the strike but I understand why they’re on strike. When it comes to doctors, strike is the only language the government understands! Mind you most of the doctors on strike are not on strike for their personal gains but that we won’t have to suffer like they did when we become doctors too. The problem with the public is that, they are ignorant of what is really happening. Some media men say we take allowances, Milo and others as medical students and that right after school, you earn GHC 4000! If it were so who wouldn’t read medicine? We get nothing and you get to understand it more at the clinical year and during your “housemanship”.

SC: The knowing you more segment, relationships for that matter. Were you “grabbed” in the pre-clinical years?

Akosua: (Laugh), maybe. Uum I think I did, I entered one that was very short and I came out of it. Yeah I “I grabbed” in preclinical (laughing).

SC: Are you dating anyone at the moment?