Miss Rhoda Asare-Larbi, a first-year Medical Student of the University for Development Studies, has emerged winner at the maiden edition of the Federation of Ghana Medical Students’ Associations (FGMSA) Freshers’ Quiz Competition which came off on Sunday, February 13, 2022. At exactly 4 pm GMT, Miss Stephanie Chiaky Otuteye, the Secretary of the FGMSA, welcomed a rather anxious and ecstatic group of medical students and doctors from five medical schools in Ghana to a zoom call during which the quiz was held.

Medical students, especially in Ghana are perceived as those who have their noses buried in voluminous publications of medicine at all times. However, the leadership of the current community of medical students in Ghana, FGMSA, has made an effort to break this stereotype and contribute actively to ensure that medical students become all-round doctors. This commitment led them to dedicate the second week of February, 2022 to celebrating, educating and welcoming their freshmen and women.

The week began with educative sessions and activities, aimed at equipping their junior colleagues with important information about the federation, the world around them as well as how to succeed in medical school. This saw the active participation of executives and alumni alike as they came together to guide their new colleagues. They crowned the week’s activities with the maiden edition of the FGMSA Freshers’ Quiz to ensure that indeed, everything they had shared had been imbibed.

The atmosphere was that of excitement when students and alumni from the University of Ghana, Legon; the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology; University for Development Studies; University for Health and Allied Sciences and the University of Cape Coast cheered for Mr Caleb Okyere Darko, Mr Kwaku Ohene Amoani, Miss Rhoda Asare-Larbi, Mr Mensah-Tetteh Odehey and Mr Christian Foli respectively.

Mr Razak Kassim, the quizmaster, and his abled timekeeper, Mr Victor Baribe Duuti, spelt out the rules for the quiz and ushered contestants into the first round. This round tested the knowledge of the contestants on Ghana’s history, governance and current affairs. It ended with KNUST and the University of Ghana leading with 12 points each, closely followed by the University for Development Studies with 11 points and the University of Cape Coast and University of Health and Allied Sciences, with 6 points each.

Contestants battled out their knowledge of the standing committee and functions of the executives of the federation in round two. Miss Asare-Larbi emerged in the lead with 26 points. KNUST followed with 23 points as UCC shoved the University of Ghana away from the third position with 22 points. The University of Ghana was saved from a dramatic drop to the last position by UHAS’s 12 points.

The third and final round introduced a bit of a twist as the problem of the day tested the contestants’ knowledge on the need for counselling among medical students as well as their ability to effectively combine leadership roles with their studies. At the end of it all, the University for Development Studies carried the day. The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology secured second place with the University of Ghana coming third. The University of Cape Coast and the University of Health and Allied Sciences took the fourth and fifth places respectively.

Miss Rhoda Asare-Larbi, a first-year Medical Student of the University for Development Studies, and the winner of the maiden edition of the FGMSA Freshers’ Quiz Competition could not hide her joy as she expressed gratitude to her UDS-Medical Students’ Association (MSA) president, Abena Otema Asiama-Kumi, who had urged her to participate in the competition and the MSA academic committee, whose efforts, she said, had brought her this far. She also praised the FGMSA executive board for their commitment to making the programme a success.

The indefatigable and learned Dean of the UDS Medical School Prof. Stephen Tabiri extended a warm hand of congratulations to her as well.

The presidents were also not left out as the presidents of the various schools as well as Miss Darell Adwoa Addison, the president of the federation graced the occasion.