Continuing his stellar academic career, 24-year-old graduate of the Guyana School of Medicine, Ronald Ross won several awards at the recent University of Guyana Con-vocation.
This year, he was awarded the Vice-Chancellor's Special Award in the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Prime Minister's Award for the Best Graduating Student; and the Rolf Richards Award in Clinical Medicine.
Now officially a Doctor, Ross obtained a grade point of 3.8 out of a possible 4 points from 33 courses which translates into 30 `As' and three `Bs'. He also completed successfully two courses with `pass' grades for which only `pass' and `fail' grades were given. His 3.8 grade point is the highest average in the history of the Guyana School of Medicine.
Dr Ross is a past student of President's College who in 1997 shared the country's Best General Certificate of Education Advanced Level student prize - the President's Award - with Queen's College Student, Faye Allicock. He obtained four Grade 'As' in Mathematics, Physics, Chem-istry and Biology.
At the GCE, he obtained eight grade Ones and a grade Two at the Caribbean Secon-dary Education Certificate examinations.
Prior to this he was the top student at the Secondary School's Entrance Examina-tion at Belvedere Primary on the Corentyne and a top student for Region Six.
Asked whether he pursued his studies on a government scholarship, Dr Ross said that he had applied for a scholarship but had not been granted one so he attended the University of Guyana on a student loan. Today, he said that he was free to pursue post-graduate studies without having the bonds of a contract to hold him back.
During his tenure at UG, his brother, Reginald Ross accommodated him at his home providing as much support as was possible. He said, "I didn't have to work but I liked teaching and taught part time to students in their homes." He taught mainly students preparing for the science subjects and mathematics at the CSEC examinations. "So I earned a bit on my own," he said adding that this was done mainly in the run up to the examinations.
He sees the completion of his studies at the school of medicine as only the start of a career in which he wants to become a cardio-thoracic surgeon.
He cannot pursue his postgraduate studies in Guyana but would like to do that "right here in the Caribbean." He said Guyanese students did not have to go to the USA or Canada to do their postgraduate studies but could go to the University of the West Indies where he felt satisfied that the standards were comparable with those in North America.
Ideally, he said that he would like to complete a postgraduate degree before coming back to Guyana to work. He does not want to work in Guyana as just another general medical officer but to return as a specialist making his contribution in a field that is needed.
Looking back on his five-year programme at UG, he said it was not as long as it had appeared initially. Like all students, he said there were the tough times and the good. Asked to elaborate, he said that the first two years at UG comprised clinicals but the transition to the work environment, at the George-town Public Hospital, was a `notable one'. He was a bit apprehensive about what hospital life would be like at first since as a child he had not liked hospitals.
Crediting all his success to God, he expressed gratitude to his family members and friends who gave him the support and encouragement. He mentioned the manager of the Scotia Bank branch in New Amsterdam, who even though knowing that he was not going to make banking his career, gave him the opportunity to gain some exposure in the world of work.