Eight Stage Professionnels Finish their Training

by Logan Banks

At the end of October, our community celebrated the graduation of 8 stage professionnels. These are new medical graduates who spend a year at Kibuye Hope Hospital in a traditional rotating internship, where they spend three months on each of the four main hospital services (Pediatrics, Internal medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, and Surgery). We are especially grateful for our partnership with African Mission Healthcare which supports this program. 

This is the sixth class of graduates of the program since it started. With 8 interns, this was our largest class to date. They came from all three medical schools in Burundi: Hope Africa University, as well as the University of Burundi, and the University of Ngozi. Over 30 stagiaires have now graduated from this program. 

As they spent time on each service, it was encouraging to me to see how much they learned over this period. They also noticed this, and remarked during their graduation ceremony how much they had grown as physicians and people over this internship period. 

They lived together in an intern dorm on campus, and really bonded over the 12 months that they were here. It was great to see them form friendships with each other.  And we had a great time celebrating the end of their studies.  Here are some pictures from the event. It was a wonderful evening, and we're proud of all the graduates.  

As the Director of Medical Education, I served as emcee

for the event, but it was a team effort!

Dr. Axel, one of the graduates, with his diploma and 

the heads of the different medical services. 

The graduates also received a certificate of competency in

performing c-sections, a certificate of competency in minor surgery,

and a lapel pin shaped like the Burundian flag.

Some also received a certificate of competency in OB ultrasounds. 

All of the graduates with all of the missionary doctors. 

We had good fellowship, and a delicious Burundian dinner

Dr. Juste wearing traditional formal attire, shares the 

celebration with his wife and baby.

The graduates also gave a speech thanking Kibuye Hope Hospital

for this training, and gave us a gift of a group photo to remember them by.