By Irene Best Nyapendi
At Mukwano Industries, Uganda, Joel Semakula was the employee of the year, earned a promotion, and had a salary boost on the way. But his true love was elsewhere. 

After completing secondary school, he had his sights on medicine. However, he did not make it to the shortlist to study it at Makerere University. So, he thought of studying bio medical laboratory technology with a plan of upgrading to medicine later on, but this too was not possible. He settled for chemical engineering at Kyambogo University.

Once he graduated, he got a job with Mukwano, where he excelled and was recognized as employee of the year in 2018.  At that and with his heart elsewhere, he turned down a promotion and resigned.

“I always saw myself practicing medicine, and I will even do it when I am past retirement age,” he says.

The busy work schedule at Mukwano was a roadblock to studying in the demanding field of medicine. He got his savings and requested his parents to support him further to pursue the course he loves. 

“My mother believed in me and together with my family, they supported me,” he says.

He tried several times to get a vacancy at Makerere University with no success. This, however, did not break his resolve. 

To Semakula, he loves the life-saving work doctors do because it is like working together with God to give people a second chance at life. God finally answered his prayers when he applied at Uganda Christian University (UCU).

“When I heard about UCU School of Medicine, I applied and was so happy when I passed the interviews,” he says. “My mouth was filled with laughter.”

Now in his fourth year, with one more year to go, Semakula says he finds fulfillment in his work. 

“There’s satisfaction when you alleviate someone else’s suffering,” he says.

He recalls a time in year three, during junior clerkship when he answered a mother’s queries about her child’s health and the next day the woman returned asking for Semakula because she was so pleased with his services.

Semakula is determined to be an excellent surgeon. He is further encouraged by his lecturer, Dr. Mwanje Bright Anderson, who inspires him by the way he handles patients, relating to each. 

One day during a bedside teaching session at Mulago Hospital, the instructing specialist defined a surgeon as the world’s best physician who sometimes operates. 

“This stuck with me. I had simply wanted to become a surgeon, but it dawned on me that one ought to be an equally excellent physician to make a good surgeon,” he says.

Semakula joined UCU to study a course he loves, but has since fallen in love with its culture and values as well.

“At first, there was nothing particularly attractive about the school that drew me in, because I didn’t know much about it other than the widely known fact that UCU produced brilliant lawyers. But I was optimistic this would become the case with medicine,” Semakula says.

He confesses that the study of medicine is as tough as he imagined, but he has accepted the task because as professional doctors, they need to get everything right. He emphasizes that the oath doctors take of doing no harm to lives requires them to get it right during training.

“I have to make it, there’s no other option. I push on mostly for me, then because there are people who believe in me and importantly for the people I will serve (my patients) eventually,” Semakula vows.

Semakula is passionate about humanity and care for others. He is concerned about doctors who tend to prioritize money-making at the expense of compassionate service. He has pledged to be a good doctor that puts medical care above financial rewards. He is hopeful that when he has made good money, he will channel some into financing affordable health care for all. 

“I hope to stay true to my convictions and influence others to see the same,” he says, almost as a prayer.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities, and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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By Irene Best Nyapendi
Syringe in one hand and Bible in the other. God is at the center as Celicia Rwankore studies medicine at Uganda Christian University (UCU). Rwankore, who is in her penultimate year (fourth year) as a student of a Bachelor of Medicine, says titles such as a doctor add weight to the gospel one preaches.

 “When people see a doctor preaching, they are inspired and believe,” she says, adding that people then understand that the doctor’s achievements were made possible by his or her belief in God. 

As a Christian, Rwankore is convinced every believer must preach the gospel in their respective professions. She cites Jesus’ great commission to the disciples in the gospel of Mark 16:15: ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation…’

Rwankore regularly shares the teachings of the Bible with her colleagues in her free time after her lectures and practical classes in medicine.

She understands that Christianity, which asserts divine intervention, does not conflict with the science of healing, but rather works together. 

She references the book of Ephesians 2:10 and explains that Christians have the mandate to extend God’s creative and restorative power on earth. 

“As a Christian doctor, I believe that I will be an extension of God’s healing hand in this world,” she says. 

According to Rwankore, being a doctor does not negate the fact that she can pray for her patients – something she says they are constantly reminded of at the UCU School of Medicine. The lecturers encourage them to ‘do their best to treat patients, but the healing comes from God.’

Spending late nights in hospital wards
The demands of the profession are relentless. 

“We are basically expected to know enough material for our level (undergraduate) but that is a lot!,” she says. “This course is what I would describe as prestigious, but it comes with many high expectations from relatives and friends which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, it causes stress from time to time.”

Rwankore enjoys her stay at UCU regardless of the tight schedule which includes sometimes having to spend long hours in the wards at Mengo Hospital which could go on until late in the night. Nevertheless, all that is part of the memorable moments regardless of how hectic it may seem because she loves what she does.

 “We were usually tired, surviving on snacks, giving medication, waiting for mothers to deliver, following the doctors and nurses around, making write-ups, having the most random conversations and sleeping at desks at 3 a.m. yet we expected to be in lectures at 7 a.m.,” she says about the roller coaster schedule.

She loves medical camps because she interacts with many folks whose lives she impacts positively through teaching them how to keep healthy as she checks their vitals such as measuring blood pressure.

“I am so happy to take part in the medical camps because it is an opportunity for me to help my community even before I can become a fully-fledged doctor,” she says.

Rwankore never despairs amidst or after the daunting tasks. She believes challenges are everywhere and part of life.

“I am proud to say that I have always been determined to be a medical doctor regardless of the challenges that come my way. I find solutions and move on,” she said. “I think that’s because I really enjoy what I am doing.”

As part of staying on course, Rwankore seeks out experienced doctors who share with her their first-hand accounts of the job.  Such moments revitalize her quest and offer the much-needed courage to soldier on.

Rwankore chose being a doctor to save lives. “You can understand the difference doctors make. Remember when you felt like death was calling you, but then you walked into a hospital only to leave feeling much better after what the doctor said or did,” she says.

The 23-year-old already has plans for studying a masters in Orthopedics. But for now, she looks forward to completing her senior clerkship (which is in their fifth and final year) and internship. 

In the meantime, Rwankore is very busy with classes and assignments, and understandably hard to get because of her tight schedule. She is not complaining about anything because she is in the company of a close-knit UCU community, where people care about one another.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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By Pauline Luba
Tendo Jethro Ddungu long dreamed of being a doctor. However, it was not until he got to Senior Four that he shared his desires with his father, a specialist in public health. Upon receiving the news of his son’s career passion, Dr. Peter Ddungu did not think twice. He straightaway told his son to choose another career. Dr. Peter’s stand shocked his son, who had imagined his father, whom he looked up to, would be proud of him for choosing to follow in his footsteps.

But Peter had a reason for his stand. He knew medicine was not an easy course to study.  Instead, he advised Ddungu to opt for a career in engineering, which the father sensed would be less demanding academically than medicine. However, Ddungu stuck to his guns.

“I understood the weight of the medicine course from an early age,” Ddungu said. “If I felt I was not up to the task, I would not have expressed interest.” 

Upon seeing the determination of Ddungu, Dr. Peter eventually respected the wishes of his son. He thus supported him to achieve his dream. Ddungu is now in year four, pursuing the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) School of Medicine in Mengo, Kampala. He hopes to become a cardiac surgeon — a specialist in surgeries on the heart, lungs and other chest organs, as well as one who diagnoses and treats the same organs.

So far, Ddungu says one of his highlights at the School of Medicine was watching a specialist perform a chest surgery in the theater last year.

“There is a saying that a surgeon needs to know when not to cut,” said Ddungu as he explained his experience in the theater watching firsthand the medical procedure. “The surgeon should also have the heart of a lion (calm, no matter the situation), the eyes of an eagle (alert and strong sight) and the hands of an angel (delicate).” 

The 23-year-old says he was able to witness this mantra as he sat through the specialist medical procedure last year. 

The ultimate goal in the life of Ddungu is to fulfill God’s purpose for him, whether in family, business or any other area. He believes UCU offers the best place for him to accomplish God’s desires for him. Part of accomplishing God’s call is taking part in leadership in the community, which Ddungu, the eldest of three children of Dr. Peter and Mrs. Elizabeth Ddungu, has participated in, unreservedly. At King’s College Budo, where he had his O’level education, Ddungu was the timekeeper. 

From Budo, he headed to Turkish Light Academy, where he studied A’level. During his time at Turkish Light Academy, Ddungu was the head of fellowship, a role he described as “difficult leadership” because the school was predominantly Muslim.

At UCU, the university Ddungu says he joined because it is known for “producing good professionals,” he has been a representative at the Uganda Christian Medical Fellowship. He also plays the guitar during community worship at UCU.

When he is not at school or in church, most likely, you will find Ddungu swimming, reading or hanging out with friends. He believes in the notion that no one can be too busy to participate in the things they love, as long as they set priorities.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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By Kefa Senoga
Listening to Joy Mwesigwa’s path to pursuing a course in human medicine at Uganda Christian University (UCU), one cannot help but conclude that, indeed, this was a predetermined route for the 21-year-old. 

Mwesigwa was mesmerized with the world of medicine as early as age 10 when her parents — Dr. Albert Siminyu and Mrs. Resty Nanziri Siminyu — would take her to a pediatrician. Mwesigwa names one particular pediatrician, Dr Jamil Mugalu, who she says conducted his work with so much ease and admiration that it played a role in motivating her to consider joining the profession. Mugalu is a senior pediatrician at Uganda’s national referral facility, Mulago Hospital.

“I admire doctors who can make a diagnosis with ease and offer treatment that actually works while still being compassionate, kind and are able to listen to the challenges of patients and their families,” says Mwesigwa, a second-year student of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at UCU’s School of Medicine.

Mwesigwa says her heart and mind resonated with a course in medicine and surgery because “it is in line with my passion to help people, regardless of the situation, learn more about the complexities of the human body and give back to society.” 

Even at home, she says, her parents supported her choice of career by offering financial and emotional support. “My father sometimes makes medical research in line with the course units I am pursuing at university, in order to have medical conversations with me,” Mwesigwa said from her school campus in Mengo, Kampala, during an interview that was conducted online.

For the two years that Mwesigwa has sat in the classroom at the medical school, she has been able to discover that every patient is unique in their own way, which means that learning never ends.  

Because of the complexity and the exciting nature of the human body, Mwesigwa says there are many concepts she has not yet understood, but that the answer lies in her conducting more research. 

For the two years that she has been studying the course, Mwesigwa says she is already able to debunk some age-old myths that she learned in her community. One of them, for example, is that rain causes malaria. “I have learned that people in my community normally associate most fevers with malaria, which isn’t entirely true.” 

And she is well prepared to debunk many more such myths because she believes that part of the social responsibilities of a doctor is to correct the misconceptions that society has about health, medicines and vaccines.

She believes that the spread of an epidemic like the HIV chronic immune system disease in Uganda is exacerbated by the myths and misconceptions that the society is fed on. She says young people protect themselves more from pregnancy than contracting HIV, which should not be the case since HIV has no cure. 

Being a devout Christian, when Mwesigwa was making choices on where to pursue her degree course, it was obvious where her choice would be. “The fact that UCU is a university set up on Christian principles, I believed it would offer me the platform to learn to be a good doctor as I also practice my Christian values.”

In UCU, she says she has found a home with reliable friends that support her academically and spiritually. She points out key figures like the Rev. Onen Ocen Walter, the UCU SoM chaplain and lecturers like Dr. Lwanira Catherine and Dr. Gerald Tumusiime, who she says have often offered her advice.

Her choice of UCU is not surprising, given that for her secondary school, she attended Gayaza High School and Seeta High School — schools with a firm foundation on religious doctrine. At Seeta High School, she was the head-girl, president of the school’s Interact Club and the head of the ushers in the school chapel. At UCU, she is the secretary of the Writers’ Society of the university’s School of Medicine and a choir leader in the same school.

The virtues that Mwesigwa says she possesses — honesty, patience, kindness and being a collaborative team player — are vital for her career growth. In fact, she hopes to take advantage of them to see how far they can propel her into achieving a specialty in neurosurgery and a doctorate in medicine.  

She also hopes to be able to set up a health facility and extend free medical camps to the underprivileged, with support from donors. And to be able to extend pro bono services to the community, Mwesigwa would desire practicing her profession in Uganda. 

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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By Jimmy Siyasa
(2nd of four May 2022 stories related to theology and medicine studies)

As a young girl, Dorcas Chizaram Okeke was thin and weak – a common face at the school sick-bay.  At times, she wrote her promotional examinations while receiving intravenous treatment. She had “self-pity.” This early personal condition and two incidents spurred her on to become a health care expert.

The two instances were:  1) her relationship with a malaria-suffering schoolmate, who would later drop out because she was taking frequent sick leave; and 2) another schoolmate who died after a long struggle with leukemia.

These early health encounters contributed to the decision of Chizaram, of Nigeria, to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the Uganda Christian University (UCU) School of Medicine (SoM).

“Some diseases are curable,” the first-year student said. “Sometimes doctors just observe a patient and are able to tell what is wrong and then treat it. I wanted to be able to do that someday. Whenever I see someone facing a problem that I am unable to help them solve, I feel so bad.”

Chizaram’s lifelong ambition is to set up a large wellness center, where patients or clients can access rehabilitation services with an unusual twist – music therapy.

When she joined UCU in 2019, Chizaram underwent pre-year, which is a yearlong, mandatory orientation/ assimilation University program for non-Ugandan students. During that period, she undertook a short course in para-counseling, for which she attained a certificate. She believes with this skill, she is able to help her peers who suffer mental health challenges, such as depression, anxiety and addiction.

Chizaram, one of the 60 entry-year medical students, sees UCU as the best place to receive a quality education. The low number of classmates allows closer lecturer attention and builds a stronger community among peers who encourage each other to participate in the twice-weekly community worship.

On this March Day and following community worship, she expressed appreciation for the newly assigned pastor at the Mengo (Kampala) hospital campus. Chizaram, a worship choir member, upholds the institution’s strong focus on both the spiritual and intellectual formation of students with the music twist.

“I was attracted to UCU because of its Christian moral foundation,” she said. “I think that is partly why I have never heard of UCU students rioting…you study when you are peaceful, without fear of waking up one day to damaged or lost property from a student strike.”

Further influence to come to UCU came through two of her older siblings who studied at UCU. One of them, Shalom Okeke graduated cum laude.

For Chizaram, music and Christian expression of spirituality go hand in hand. As with most youth in the age of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM), she enjoys pulsating rhythms, and melodies move her spirit. She likes to “dance for the lord” while the bassist grooves. She likes the soft pads of the piano, and not silence, to accompany meditation. Her preference for music-infused worship may partly be attributed to her evangelical and musical family background, having been born to a Nigerian Anglican Bishop, Rt. Rev. Henry Okeke, the Bishop of Ideato, one of the Dioceses under the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion.

Chizaram says there is something about charismatic congregational worship that “pulls the heavens down” for her. On a bad day, she said, “I listen to music and feel emotional relief.”

As a non-Ugandan student studying in Uganda, over 2,400 miles away from her home country, Chizaram is grateful that through music ministry, she easily made/met her first friends in Uganda. Shortly after enrolling at UCU for the pre-year, she joined a university choir called Mustard Seed Worship Team (MSWT). Here, she found her ideal “worship environment” with vocals, drums, guitars, keyboards, and more. She participated in MSWT band activities, including presenting at community worship, university graduation, and Sunday service, among others.

After completing the pre-year at Mukono, she moved in September 2021 to the SoM academic and training site – rich with career learning, but devoid of the rich music and sound equipment/ facilities that the main campus has.

Chizaram yearns for the music she had that first year, noting, “I wish the university could provide music equipment; the one thing that draws young people to fellowship is music.”

Besides the music void, Chizaram loves her university experience. It does not feel foreign because she lives in a Christian community where Ugandans are joined by students from Cameroon, Liberia and Pakistan, among other countries. She hopes to graduate four years from now.

She attended Holy Innocents Juniorate convent in Nigeria, for both ordinary level and High School. An Igbo by tribe, Chizaram hails from Imo State, Nigeria.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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