Pursuing a career in medicine has been the dream of most young students. Some get through it the easy way, while others go through challenges to achieve it.
The journey of Dr. Ernestina Mensah to becoming a medical doctor is a challenging one that inspires aspiring ones.
She is one of the few medical doctors who has faced some difficulties in the quest to attain their future ambitions.
Starting in the medical field as a community nurse, it was challenging to continue to medical school. She had to pass through other stages due to financial constraints.
Even though she could not go directly to medical school, she was happy to get into nursing as she has always loved taking care of people.
Recounting her journey on Prime Morning, Wednesday, she revealed how she applied several times to medical school after completing the community health nursing school at Ho until she was admitted.
“I applied to the medical school in 2017, the graduate entry medical programme. It is a course for people who have a first degree in the sciences. There’s an access course to the programme, and about 300 to 400 people come for the access course. So we went for the access course, and then we wrote for an entrance exam. After the entrance exam, I was among the hundred people shortlisted. Then we started the interview. I went for the interview, but unfortunately, I didn’t get in.”
“I was so disappointed that I decided not to go to Korle-Bu again. Anytime I thought about going to Korle-Bu, I felt the pain of going to the access course, making it there, and then even going to the interview and not getting admission. It pained me so much.”
Even though she was denied admission the first time. she did not give up, she applied to the medical school at Korle-Bu.
She said, “The next year, which is 2018, I applied again, and then I attended the access course, wrote the entrance exam, and then went for the interview. This time I made it, and I was so excited. I was very happy to have made it to the medical school.”
Speaking of some of the challenges she went through while in medical school, she attested to the fact that it was really challenging as she depended on some family members for financial support.
According to her, she had to support herself after trying to get an upgrade while on leave from the hospital she worked for in order to help pay for her education. The medical doctor said she also sold drinks, water, liquid soap, and jewelry to help with her upkeep.
Dr. Ernestina Mensah further noted that her decision to become a medical doctor was inspired by some doctors she has worked with as a community health nurse.
Meanwhile, before she enrolled in medical school, she attended the Central University College to study Physician Assistantship.
Recounting her basic school journey, she indicated how she moved to Kumasi from Oti to stay with other family members after the separation of her parents, to attend basic school; she did not have a smooth basic school life.
She revealed how she and other colleagues saw dead bodies on their way to school, as they climbed hills to school.
After all the challenges she went through in Kumasi, she had to return to her mother to write her Basic Education Certificate Examination.
After writing WASSCE, she failed some of her elective subjects and had to rewrite through remedial to enable her to apply to a nursing school. But according to her, the first application failed, and she had to reapply before she gained admission.
As to whether she ever thought of giving up the profession, she said, “Giving up wasn’t an option, so I never thought about it.” She expressed gratitude to all who supported her journey. She urged everyone to keep trying if they failed the first time.
“The journey may be tough and challenging, but remember that where you come from must not define who you want to become. Everyone can break the ‘eight,”‘ she said.
