By Kefa Senoga
At age 40, when many people are usually mastering knowledge in a career, Ronnie Mugabi is switching his path, preparing to graduate with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Uganda Christian University (UCU) School of Medicine (SoM). He returned to school at 35, juggling family, business and the demands of medical school. All this was to achieve his childhood dream and contribute to the fields of medicine and science at large.

“I had always wanted to be a doctor,” Mugabi says. “Even at home, my siblings used to call me doctor because I was a bright student, especially in sciences.”

Despite scoring a first grade in O’level (also known as ordinary learning at lower levels) , excelling in biology, chemistry and mathematics, Mugabi notes that he could not proceed to A’ (advanced) level due to financial constraints, especially being raised by a single mother of six children. Instead, in 2002, he enrolled at Busubizi Teacher Training College, Mityana, under a government sponsorship program and qualified as a teacher.

Though he didn’t enjoy teaching, Mugabi found it to be a stepping stone. He taught at Seeta Boarding Primary School and Kampala City Parents Schools, saving up enough to leave the country.

In 2006, he moved to South Africa in search of greener pastures. Without proper documentation, life was difficult until he secured an asylum permit seven months later, which legally allowed him to work and study in the country. He says this marked a turning point in his life and eventually led to him attaining a South African citizenship many years after.

With his academic papers in hand and a dream still alive, Mugabi notes that he applied and got admitted on a mature entry program at the University of South Africa, where he first completed bridging courses to earn a Matric Exemption Certificate. He then pursued a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences, majoring in Biochemistry and Physiology. He graduated in 2015.

“That degree was the foundation, which allowed me to work in Corporate, but the dream of becoming a doctor still lingered,” Mugabi says.

When the Covid-19 pandemic struck and global lockdowns happened, Mugabi, now married with two daughters in South Africa, used the unexpected pause to dream again.

“I was at home and thought, why not apply for medicine? I did it partly as a joke, but deep down, I was serious,” he says.

With South African universities paused due to the pandemic, Mugabi says that he applied to several medical schools in Uganda. UCU stood out, offering online learning to newly admitted Year 1 students. That option made it possible for him to start the MBCHB journey while still in South Africa. 

“The interview panel asked if I would be willing to come for physical classes once the university reopened,” he recalled. “I said yes, and the rest is history.”

Mugabi further notes that he later relocated to Uganda for in-person learning, even though he frequently traveled to South Africa to maintain ties with his family and businesses.

“I didn’t want to abandon my role as a father,” he said. “I would fly back, just to watch my daughters perform at school. However, as we approached the fourth year, the course became intense, with a lot of academic work.”

Studying medicine in his late 30s wasn’t easy, but he still felt at home among his younger classmates, nonetheless. 

“These younger colleagues became like my younger sisters and brothers,” he said. “I was never mocked or looked down upon. Everyone knew I was older, married and with children.” 

According to Mugabi, his age, in fact, gave him an edge in discipline and perspective as one of the elders in the team. “At first I looked like other International students, some people thought I was a foreign, until they heard me speak fluent Luganda.”

Mugabi notes that his academic journey has been smooth at UCU, something he attributes to the supportive learning environment. He is now set to graduate as a medical doctor this July. 

He notes that his long-term goal is to become a “medi-preneur”, specializing in Aesthetic medicine and Plastic surgery.

“I want to set up a modern medical facility in Uganda, offering affordable plastic surgery, saving people expensive trips to the US or Turkey for procedures.” says Mugabi, the husband of Scovia and father of Pearl and Perry. 

He believes his medical training will help him build a practice that balances quality care with business sense. 

“I needed to understand the field technically, if I’m to succeed as a medical entrepreneur,” he says.

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