AKU confers degrees on 360 students at 30th convocation

I hope the expertise and knowledge acquired at one of Pakistan’s leading medical universities will be utilised to better this society and alleviate the sufferings of humanity, said Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair as he congratulated 360 graduates at the Aga Khan University’s 30th convocation ceremony on Sunday.

Speaking as chief guest at the convocation, the governor stated that AKU was one of Pakistan’s best educational institutes and was playing an invaluable role in eliminating disease and promoting quality healthcare and research culture in the country.

The 360 graduates were awarded degrees and diplomas in various disciplines including MBBS, BDS, Nursing and Physiotherapy, while 37 students were awarded gold medals for their extraordinary academic performance.

Governor Zubair praised parents as well as faculty members for contributing in the graduates’ achievements, terming them the most crucial agents that build a student’s character and future prospects. The governor maintained that AKU is recognised among the country’s top-ranking educational institutions in the field of healthcare, adding that the entire country was proud of AKU and its services.

‘Do not disregard innovation’

In his welcome address, AKU President Firoz Rasul appreciated the students’ determination, passion and talent as he advised them to always remember the importance of innovation if they wish to overcome tomorrow’s challenges.

“An innovative mind requires the willingness to explore new perspectives and engage with others to find alternatives to resolve problems. The innovator is above all a seeker. They feel it in their bones that there is another and a better way. But they also know they do not possess all the answers, so they are driven to search for knowledge, to question the prevailing wisdom and explore the world with their eyes wide open.”

Rasul added that in the quest for knowledge, there is no greater resource available than a mindset that values pluralism and diversity as it enables one to put together the benefits of different traditions, novel perspectives and undervalued opinions to deliver meaningful innovations.

This year, 129 nurses graduated from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, 118 with undergraduate and 11 with graduate degrees. The Medical College awarded 40 master’s and 91 undergraduate degrees, as well as three advanced diplomas and 11 diplomas in dental hygiene. AKU also awarded 37 master’s degrees in Education, whereas 12 students acquired the Master of Arts in Muslim Cultures degrees.

Best of the best

The Medical College’s 2017 Best Graduate Award as well as a gold medal was conferred upon Dr Mujtaba Mubashir who achieved the highest aggregate score throughout the five-year MBBS programme. He became the 9th AKU student to be awarded the gold medal for obtaining top scores in at least three of the four certifying examinations, including the final examination.

Amyna Ismail received the School of Nursing and Midwifery 2017 Best Graduate Award. This award is presented to the student who achieves the highest CGPA among the graduating classes of the BScN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) and Post-RN BScN programmes, and who is also selected for the Nursing Practice Award.

The nursing award is conferred on the graduating student whose clinical and community practices reflect a client-centred approach, has a critical thinking mind, problem solving abilities and ethical decision making.

Proud students, parents

Daughter of a 1996 AKU anaesthesiology resident, Dr Hameedullah, the ceremony was a memorable day for MBBS graduate Atiya Hameedullah.

Speaking on the day, Atiya said: “It is an honour to be graduating from AKU today, 26 years after both my parents graduated as doctors from the same alma mater. Words cannot do justice to the sacrifices they have made to get me to where I stand today.”

Another proud parent, Kashif Malik, a gastroenterologist at Shaikh Zayed Hospital, in Lahore, was delighted to see his daughter, Ramsha Kashif, an MBBS graduate, follow in his footsteps by choosing the same profession.

“My father has made tremendous efforts to support me through these five wonderful years at AKU. His dedication to patients was my key inspiration to begin this journey, and I really hope that one day I am able to give this profession the same level of commitment he does,” said a delighted Ramsha.