Jeffery Anertey Abbey: Meet the University of Ghana Medical School 2021 Valedictorian

It takes a lot for a student to excel academically and it requires even much more to graduate top among a whole host of students hence Dr Jeffery Anertey Abbey is no ordinary young man.

To have gained admission into one of the most difficult-to-get-in Medical Schools in Ghana is in itself a success story worth celebrating.

In recognition of Dr Abbey recently graduating as the 2022 valedictorian of the prestitious University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS), YEN.com.gh granted the exceptional young man an interview.

Growing up in Accra

Anertey shared that he was born and bred in Cantoment in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana and had his basic education in the same region.

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"I grew up with my parents in cantonments and attended Christ The King International school."

The origin of his passion for Science

Growing up, Jeffrey loved nature shows and luckily enjoyed science lessons in basic school which birthed his interest in that field.

"I always loved science, from the things thought in the classroom, to the nature shows I used to watch as a kid. Also my dad is a Biochemist so maybe that influenced me"

Getting moulded by the Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School

After acquiring the perfect balance of quality academics and spiritual life from his secondary school, he knew he was set for the world out there.

"Presec is an excellent school, their reputation precedes them. There is a serious culture of learning and prayer which definitely moulded me."

Choosing between KNUST and University of Ghana Medical School

His hardwork and perseverance landed him admissions in two of the top tertiary institutions in Ghana with two difference programs hence Jeffrey knew he had a decision to make.

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"I applied to KNUST but I chose pharmacy there and medicine at UGMS hence it was a decision between the two programs and at that time I liked biology more than chemistry hence upon consulting some family members and praying about it, I went with medicine"

The reality of pursuing Medicine

Having prior knowledge of how demanding, pursuing Medicine at the university can be, Anertey got himself prepared mentally.

"I already expected Medicine to be difficult, as everyone knows it’s not easy at all. Even still nothing could have prepared me for it; voluminous materials, sleepless nights, and all the other responsibilities of a student. It was physically and psychologically draining."

Motivation to excel

To Jeffrey, failure was out of the books because he had a sacrifice to make up for and an expectation to meer.

"The sacrifices my parents and other family members made for me to be in school was enough to make me know that failure was not an option. I had to make them proud. Above all, for God's name to be glorified. Mathew 5:16 is always in my heart."

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Dealing with least favourite courses in school

It is nearly impossible for a student to love all courses taken in school and that was same for Jeffrey but he knew the bigger picture and had to show up for all his courses.777

"One can’t love every subject or course but the holistic nature of medicine does not allow us to be selective . We have to give every course what it is due for the sake of our patients, even after specialization.We have to have enough knowledge and skill to provide care and refer when necessary."

Specializing in the near future

It takes a lot to settle on a particular field and requires some years in the field but luckily Jeffrey has his eyes on three areas of specialization.

Medical specialization is very broad , I am honestly still not sure which field I want to be in. I am still too young in the profession to know for sure. I do however have my top three fields listed . In no particular order; Anaesthesia, Surgery and Obstetrics and Gynaecology

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The role of his parents

Sometimes, the only thing it takes is the awareness that there are people who can not wait to see you succeed and are always there to fall on.

My parents have been very supportive. They always prayed and and encouraged me. They were not too overbearing nor gave me excessive pressure to succeed; I think that too is very important.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that a brilliant lady by the name of Asantewaa Aboagye-MacCarthy has recently took to social media to share massive achievement.

In a post sighted by YEN.com.gh on Facebook, the young lady who identifies as 'God-Girl' announced that she successfully graduated as the overall best graduating student of the 54th congregation of the University of Cape Coast having achieved a umulative Grade Point Average of 3.971 out of 4.000.

In her post, Asantewaa revealed that she received the Chancellor's award for the overall best graduating student with a CGPA of 3.971, the Madam Yaa Ampemaa award for best graduating female student of the 54th Congregation. She also received the overall best Doctor of Optometry Student.

Source: YEN.com.gh