Human Anatomy student emerges best overall during 62nd UoN graduation

Muse Bridget Neema, the 62nd UoN graduation valedictorian.

The news of being the best overall student during the 62nd University of Nairobi (UoN) graduation came as a shock to Muse Bridget Neema who says it was unexpected.

“At first I was shocked, it was quite unexpected. My next reaction was that there are probably several valedictorians from the numerous courses offered at UoN. After I found out that it was actually among all the graduates it was quite humbling to say the least.” Neema said when we caught up with her for an interview.

The Bachelor of Human Anatomy graduate says UoN has given her a platform to learn and perform research which is something she is quite interested in and has become quite essential in Medicine today.

“Through this I'm getting to attend and present at conferences as well as hopefully publish my work. I believe all this will make me a good doctor in addition to what we learn in school,” says the 62nd UoN graduation valedictorian.

Apart from digging deep in books, Neema is involved in several different activities. She is an anatomy demonstrator in the Department of Human Anatomy, one of the committee members UBONGO campaign which is involved in organising symposiums for high school students on neuroscience. Quite soon we will be involving medical students as well, a member of a club called Research in medicine(REMED) through which medical students who have not undergone any form of research training can learn and are thus enabled to start doing their own projects.

She is also part of the junior editorial team of JOGECA-Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology East and Central Africa.

Neema advices students to take good care of their mental health saying university courses are challenging and when family or social crises occur at the same time it can get even harder.

“I just want to remind people that nothing in this world is worth their sanity. The mind is a fragile thing. Be mindful of yours, take breaks when you need to, talk to someone you trust when you have any issues and lastly be kind to others you don't know the demons they are battling,” she says.

When asked about one thing she would like to change about the world, her response is she believes that we should make changes in ourselves first. Only then can we change the world.

“If every member of society did their work or any activity that they are involved well, not for money or prestige but rather in service a lot of problems we experience in our country like corruption would be overcome,” she concludes.