The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has inducted 54 medical graduates of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba said this during the induction exercise on Thursday in Bauchi.

He said the university inducted the second batch of medical graduates into the council.

Represented by Prof. Sani Kunya, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Garba commended the Bauchi state government, members of the governing council and stakeholders for their support towards the establishment of its College of Medical Sciences.

Prof. Sambo Zailani, Provost, College of Medical Sciences, ATBU, said the college was training medical students, conducting research and clinical services.

“The curriculum is designed to graduate medical doctors of international standards with in-depth and vast knowledge of current state of medicine, particularly in the tropics.

“When fully established, the college plans to offer full training in dentistry, allied medical professions, and biomedical engineering and prosthesis.

“The induction ceremony taking place today is a solemn tradition that had its roots in antiquity, right from the era of Hippocrates 380-450 BC.

“It is a mandatory rite of passage for every young graduate of medicine,” he said.

Dr Fatima Kyari, the Registrar, MDCN, said the induction was a commencement of the graduates’ journey into the medical practice.

Kyari, who was represented by Dr Tijani Mandaka, Assistant Registrar, MDCN, said the council would induct and provide the graduates with the provisional registration.

She urged them to dedicate themselves to learning to enable them to acquire more experiences from their senior colleagues in the field.

Also speaking, Dr Umar Ibrahim, urged them to respect human dignity and rights of their patients, uphold professionalism and honesty.