A maiden Conference aimed at bringing final year students of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) together to communicate their research findings to the academic community and the public on a common platform has been held.
The one-day conference was on the theme “Effective Communication of Research Findings; A Prerequisite for Effective Health Care Delivery in Ghana”.
In his welcome address, Professor Daniel Ansong, Dean of SMS, said it is anticipated that the conference will grant young medics the opportunity to learn from seasoned academics and researchers, the elements of research and presentation.
Dr. Ansong stated that in all 195 students who will be completing their medical training by the end of June, 2018 will present research projects in health related areas.
Professor Tsiri Agbenyega, Immediate Past Provost of the College of Health Sciences, was hopeful that the content of various research findings will go a long way to help in supporting the health delivery systems of the country.
Professor Agbenyega indicated that the students who would be making presentations have conducted diverse health related research activities in the rural areas of Ghana and would present their findings. He continued that they have been given research skills and competence-based training so as to set them up for the future.
He called for more support, funding and mentoring to sustain this initiative and research at large. He added “We are gradually seeing a paradigm shift in medical education where medical emphasis is placed on evidence-based medicine”. He continued that building a research culture into our current generation of students will be in the right direction.
Presentations were on non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and caners. Others were on communicable diseases such as malaria, pneumonia, tuberculosis and enteric fever. Some were on health systems research in rural and peri-urban communities, maternal and child health, mental health, health administration and insurance.
The event also saw the presentation of 20 awards to deserving students whose research projects were of highest innovation, relevance, quality and presentation skills as well as students with good posters of highest standards.