JOHESU, FG AND NMA: LIVE AND LET LIVE!!! – Rufus Adedoyin
My attention has been drawn to a post written by Dr Omojowolo who graduated from OAU as a physiotherapist. I read with interest his post and hereby confirm that Dr Omojowolo was my student and he graduated from our Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation programme in Ife with BMR (PT) and not B.Sc as claimed. Dr Omojowolo is a brilliant person who I had personally encouraged to join the academic staff of my department.
Dr Omojowolo painted a scenario of passing through physiotherapy programme with little effort. I know him to be quite hardworking and he should therefore not use his case to justify our programme and training. He should recall that some of his mates spent one or 2 extra years and some dropped out completely from the programme due to poor academic performance. Dr Omojowolo in his post described the academic rigor and the examination modes of medicine as superior. There is no way he can judge the training of the present physiotherapists with what he had then having left the profession for almost 2 decades evidenced by the fact that he could not even remember the title of his degree, among other things.
I don’t personally believe that large volume of syllabus and examination should be a strong point in which JOHESU members should respect the doctors. Alleviating pain and meeting other needs of patients is key and that should be the area respect is weighed. I was in a clinic few years ago where we took a young patient for treatment, the doctor in charge could not set a line. She kept on piercing through the skin at different points and injuring the poor boy while looking for vein. After several attempts a nurse came to rescue the embarrassing situation. Who should be respected in this case? If we don’t believe the above story, I can state another instance as I am unfortunately a victim of doctors’ incompetence. My son has erb’s palsy which we all know could have been avoided if CS was done during his delivery considering his weight at birth. This was also confirmed by the consultant in charge of his case then.
Where is the connection between the syllabus and years of training with clinical practice? JOHESU should be proud of their professions and never feel inferior to doctors nor even desire to be like doctors. I have never felt inferior to any professional including medical doctors because there is sincerely no reason for it. I have treated and am still treating distinguished Professors of Medicine and their families as a Physiotherapist. I don’t believe that doctors are arrogant but I know many (not all) of them are selfish. My reason for saying this is borne out of my experience at the National assembly where we were defending the National Postgraduate College for Physiotherapy. The aim of the programme is to train specialists that will be able to give quality and advanced care to clients/patients. I was sad and highly disappointed seeing a group of doctors opposing the approval of the bill. I asked myself, if doctors that will treat and take care of me and my family want to update and upgrade their programme should I work against it? Who will be at the receiving end of inadequate training of the health care Professionals?
This is the best time for doctors to extend the arms fellowship and back JOHESU in their struggle. Medicine is the choice of the majority. Doctors have been enjoying good recognition right from the time of the New Testament and Hippocrates till date, they should therefore not oppose the professional advancement of others. The doctors in this generation should live and let others live!
Rufus Adedoyin
Professor of Physiotherapy
President, Association of Clinical and Academic Physiotherapy of Nigeria
