Long before lectures resume, Abigail Poku was already moving through hospital corridors, clipboard in hand, learning the rhythms of clinical care firsthand.

A fourth-year optometry student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Poku spent her long vacation on internship at the KNUST Hospital, where classroom theory gave way to real patients, real conditions and real responsibility.

During the placement, she assisted consulting doctors by taking patients’ vital assessments and recording medical histories: tasks that placed her at the frontline of patient interaction.

The experience, she said, bridged the gap between academic learning and day-to-day hospital practice.

“I got to relate more with patients,” Poku said, describing the internship as both rewarding and confidence-building.

Working alongside health professionals, she added, sharpened her practical skills and prepared her for future clinical responsibilities.

She encouraged fellow students to take advantage of long vacation opportunities to gain hands-on exposure early in their training.

By: Alice Laura Kyerewaah Prempeh