“There Is Reward In Diligence And Hard Work” – Dr. Irene Wulff To NSMQ Participants

Head of Anaethesia at FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital, Dr. Irene Adorkor Wulff, on Thursday mentored Senior High School students at the ongoing National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) competition, at the University of Ghana, Legon.
The morning mentorship talk, which is an empowerment session put in place by organizers of the competition, saw the seasoned Consultant Anaesthetist  take her turn to inspire young participants of the NSMQ  as well as their supporters, to help build their capacities and go after their dreams.
Speaking at the event Dr.Wulff recounted her educational escapades from CRIG Primary School, Akim New Tafo, to her time as a Fellow at the West Africa College of Surgeons. “My father was the doctor at the New Tafo Government Hospital for 30 years. As a child I was totally fascinated by his medical books and spent hours looking through them, not understanding anything and leaving my childish scribbles on many pages. By the time I was 6years old, I knew I was going to be a doctor and spent my subsequent years working hard to achieve that,” she said.
Dr. Wulff advised the students to set goals for themselves and admonished them to do away with distractions that derailed their efforts to achieve their set goals. “Going into the medical field has never been easy, but you need to push yourself hard, take what you are taught and run with it,” she said. “In Achimota School, we were taught to subjugate ourselves so we may rule. You have to learn at the feet of others and be a good servant in order to be a good master one day. There is reward in diligence and hard work and no one can take your achievement from you when you get there,” Dr. Wulff added. She believed that it is tougher these days for students to study than before because of the proliferation of distractions like mobile phones and social media to which they are always glued to.
She further went on to tell the students about the evolution of Anaesthesia from the days of Adam, through the Stone Age days to modern day Anaesthesia as well as some challenges in the field. Dr.Wulff reiterated the attitude required to be successful in the field. “I don’t believe in making excuses in life, so don’t make excuses for yourself and you will make it,” she said.
Dr. Irene Adorkor Wulff is a product of Achimota School. She has close to two decades of experience in the medical field and was in charge of Neurosurgical Anaesthesia and the Sugical Intensive Care unit for some years before she left the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital.  FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital is a 70-bed Specialist Orthopaedic Hospital located in the Pantang area of Accra, Ghana and is noted for the treatment of complex spine and joint diseases like Scoliosis, Kyphosis as well as other degenerative and deformative Orthopaedic conditions.
The NSMQ 2017, is the 22^nd edition since its inception in 1993.  Participating schools in the contest are required to go through five rounds of academic drills in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. The school with most points out of three schools qualifies to the next stage of the competition. The competition entered the 1/8 stage this week.