𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐌𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 & 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 (𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟒 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎) by Mathias Edor

𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐌𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 & 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 (𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟒 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎)

When I first stepped onto the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon on Friday, the 19th of September 2014, I was filled with a mix of pride and anticipation. I had just emerged from Accra Academy (Co2013), one of Ghana’s most prestigious senior high schools, with excellent results and a resume packed with academic and leadership achievements. I was confident, perhaps a little too confident, that I was truly destined to shine even brighter in medical school.

The beauty of the campus only fed this early sense of triumph. The gothic architecture, ivy-covered walls, and serene, tree-lined walkways felt like the perfect backdrop for a young man who had spent years (at least the 7 years period in JHS & SHS between 2007 to 2014) dreaming of this very moment. The luxurious student housing felt like a reward for the hard work I had put in. But the initial euphoria soon faded. Reality struck, and it struck hard. I wasn’t the only star student on campus. I quickly discovered that nearly everyone around me had a similar story of brilliance and accomplishment. The University of Ghana became the great leveler or equalizer.

My academic performance, which once set me apart, now placed me at the middle, or even the lower end, of a much tougher curve. My dream of becoming a medical practitioner, once so vivid and tangible, began to blur. The first year, 2014/2015 academic year (Level 100) was a manageable continuation of what we had done in senior high school. With the foundational sciences still fresh in my mind, I performed well. I rode on the remnants of S.H.S momentum; a familiar rhythm and comforting breeze. Level 100 was indeed an exciting and affirming year.

But as I progressed into the main medical school curriculum (2015/2016 & 2016/2017 acdemic years), Levels 200 and 300, I began to struggle. And struggle badly. This was no longer about cramming textbooks; it was about deep understanding, critical analysis, and sheer stamina. Second year, or MB2 as we called it, was the toughest year of all. Imagine a 19-year-old boy trying to digest Prof. Tagoe’s intricate lectures on the Basal Ganglia or attempting to make sense of Prof. Addai’s elaborate exposition on the Pharyngeal Arches. The anatomical complexity of the Axilla taught by Dr. Ahenkorah or the convoluted pathways of the Brachial Plexus explained by Dr. Hottor would leave even the most enthusiastic student overwhelmed.

And then there was Dr. Dennis; charming, brilliant, but a natural lullaby to many of us whose minds and bodies were stretched thin. I often joked with friends that MB2 was a form of “academic child abuse.” We were dissecting dead bodies in anatomy labs as if we were seasoned morticians, yet we were nothing but tired, confused young adults trying to keep our heads above water. The coursework felt compressed; it was almost as if six years of anatomical content crammed into what felt like six months. MB2 was a battlefield, and I barely survived.

In third year (MB3), things didn’t get much easier. Our attendance was erratic at best. Some of my closest friends could have easily fallen through the cracks of the so-called “valley of lectures” that connected preclinical to clinical years. Pharmacology, taught by Dr. Mubarak, became a frustrating endeavor. The microbiologists, with their endless discussions on chocolate agar and blood culture media, lost me halfway. The hematologists and a few pathologists held my attention, but just barely. MB3, in all honesty, was a blur. Bizarre and chaotic, it was a year I often choose to forget. Yet, it was in this year that I learned the value of perseverance and grit.

Then came fourth year - the gateway into clinical medicine. We began with a ten-week rotation in Community Health. It was a soft landing into the whirlwind of clinical rotations. We had a week of nursing, which gave us an appreciation for the backbone of healthcare delivery. Then came the introduction to Medicine and Surgery. I remember vividly when Prof. Addy gave his legendary lecture on the art of history taking. I still ask myself today: Why did I go to that lecture? He was revered as the god of medicine. His reputation alone struck fear in the hearts of many students. Meeting him during exams was every student’s worst nightmare. Fourth year felt pixelated; like a series of disjointed images forming an unclear picture. But we made it through.

Looking back, fourth year was a crucial turning point - a blend of challenge, growth resilience, faith, humility and discovery that laid the foundation for the doctor I was becoming.

Fifth year was the second clinical year and arguably the most stressful of the clinical years, although MB2 still takes the crown for me. Fifth year was where the rubber met the road. We rotated through Psychiatry, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, and then the heavyweights - first Obstetrics & Gynecology and then Pediatrics. These were physically and emotionally demanding. We assisted in surgeries, caught babies during deliveries, performed countless procedures, and meticulously got our logbooks signed. The 5th floor of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ObGy) holds a special place in my heart. That’s where I met Dr. Annan; one of the most humble, passionate, and student-loving lecturers I’ve ever encountered. His teachings left a lasting impression on me both academically and personally. I pray God richly blesses him.

It was in this fifth year that I came to a sobering realization: the medical profession requires the sacrifice of personal comfort and time like no other. This is not just a career - it is a calling. And if you are not deeply convinced that you’re meant to be here, the journey can easily break you. But if you are, it will build you in ways nothing else can; with grace, pressure and purpose.

Sixth year, our final year, began with a rather rough start. We had to do a five-week psychiatry rotation at Danfa and Pantang. I reported to school unprepared and had to return home the next day to regroup. But what started off on a bad note became one of the most enriching periods of my medical school journey. Dr. Maaluk, Dr. Williams, and Dr. Albert were remarkable mentors. They didn’t just teach us psychiatry - they made us fall in love with it. At one point, I was convinced I’d specialize in psychiatry. Danfa also gave birth to one unforgettable moment like the legendary UNO championship with Akabua and the rest of the Danfa squad. What a time!

After psychiatry, the real grind of final year began. The class was divided into four groups to rotate through Community Health, Surgery, Internal Medicine, and the other specialties. Just as we were about to complete our second rotation, COVID-19 struck. On Sunday, March 15, 2020, we were sent home. We were just two weeks away from completing that phase, and the uncertainty that followed was deeply unsettling. I feared we might not complete our studies and graduate until 2021. But by the grace of God, we returned in about 3 months time and completed. Final year was what I call the homologate year; the year we consolidated everything. We proved ourselves worthy of the profession. We finished strong by God’s grace.

Looking back now, it’s almost hard to believe we (I) made it through. There were moments, many many of them, when I was convinced I wouldn’t become a doctor. I remember sitting alone the night before exams, listening to the wind rustle through the trees outside my window (of my hostel), my head buried in my hands. I was a young man confronting what felt like an insurmountable wall. Doubt, fear, and exhaustion; those were my companions on many nights.

But every time I felt I had reached the end of myself, I reached out to God. I whispered prayers through tears: “Lord, if I’m not meant to be a doctor, show me what else You want me to do. But if this is Your plan for me, please perform a miracle.” And time and time again, He did. It was in my 2nd year (in 2016), amidst the chaos and fear, that I received a quiet assurance from God that I was meant to be a medical doctor; and more than that, He had a special assignment for me in this field. That realization shifted everything. I began to study not just to pass, but to understand. Every class became preparation for a calling greater than I could yet comprehend.

Today, I stand as Mathias Etsey Edor, a medical doctor; not because I was the smartest or the strongest, but because God carried me through. He surrounded me with the right people, gave me great grace in my lowest moments, and gently allowed my struggles to shape my character.

This is my testimony. To God be the glory, great things He has done, greater things He will do.

𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎, 𝐔𝐆𝐌𝐒; 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎 (𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝟑𝟓-𝟑𝟔). 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟑𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐬 𝐄𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐄𝐝𝐨𝐫

A heartfelt reflection on my six-and-a-half-year journey through medical school (2014-2020). This testimony captures the struggles, breakthroughs, and divine grace that shaped me into the medical doctor I am today. Originally published in The Coronation Magazine (UGMS 2020), now shared to inspire others navigating tough paths. #MedicalJourney #Faith #Perseverance #UGMS #Testimony

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