45 Undana medical graduates sworn in to serve remote areas of NTT

A total of 45 medical graduates from the Faculty of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at Nusa Cendana University (Undana) have been sworn in and inaugurated to undertake service, including through internship and doctor utilisation programmes at various health facilities in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Undana’s Vice Rector I for Academic Affairs, Prof. Annytha I. R. Deta, stated in Kupang on Monday that the new doctors must be able to maintain integrity and mental resilience in carrying out their profession, especially when posted to areas with limited health facilities.

“A healer must first heal and educate themselves through integrity, mental resilience, and their own well-being, in order to bring life to the community. Hold fast to this principle wherever you are placed,” she said.

According to Annytha, the challenges of healthcare service in NTT require doctors who possess not only medical competence but also endurance, empathy, and a commitment to serving the community.

Dean of the FKKH Undana, Dr. Christina Olly Lada, said the 45 doctors had successfully passed the Student Competency Examination for the Medical Profession Programme (UKMPPD) and were thus declared ready to enter the service phase.

“This 49th oath-taking ceremony marks a proud achievement for Undana because all graduates have successfully passed the UKMPPD stages,” she said.

Representing the 45 inaugurated doctors, Steven S. Elim said the medical profession is not merely a job, but a mandate to provide service to the community with knowledge, integrity, and empathy.

“Being a doctor is not just about having a wealth of knowledge, but learning to listen, to empathise, and to remain humble when our knowledge is not yet able to answer all of a patient’s questions. We can only maintain this public trust with knowledge, integrity, and compassion for others,” he stated.

He reminded the new doctors to always remember the struggles of their parents, lecturers, and health workers who supported them throughout their education until completing the clinical clerkship phase.