By Adeyinka Adeniran
No fewer than five students bagged first class honours from the department of Physiotherapy, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, out of a total of 29 who were on Tuesday inducted into the Physiotherapy profession.
The 2025 graduands dubbed the class of Helianthus were inducted at the Paul Hendrickse Lecture Theatre, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, University College Hospital (UCH) Premises, Ibadan.
Admitting the young professionals into the Physiotherapy profession, the Registrar, Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board, Prof Rufai Ahmad explained that producing more Physiotherapists will help to further bridge the gap in consideration of societal needs.
He noted that, in time past, patients with pain visits physicians and get prescriptions to relieve pain, but today, patients and healthcare providers consider the source of the pain to determine who treats the patients.
He said, symptoms of organic pathology are presented to physicians while symptoms of movement impairment are presented to the Physiotherapists, adding that, ti’s has helped in treatment of the source of the pain rather than the symptoms.
Speaking through the Director of Physiotherapy Services, Oyo State Hospitals Management Board, Mrs Okunade Olufunke, the Registrar said the University trained and supported the graduands to provide services to the society, hence the need for them to look beyond themselves and their families and consider a bigger picture.
He said, “Physiotherapy as a health profession is not a hospital-based profession only. It’s advancement will depend on the understanding of the building blocks of the health system. We need to consider leadership and governance, health financing, effective five service delivery, health information and competent workforce.”
He encourage the graduands to consider pursuing further studies in health administration, health financing, health information systems and other relevant health programs that guide health care professionals to integrate their profession in the health systems.
According, to him, the era of graduating and practicing until retirement without specialisation is over, urging the young professionals to to select their specialisation of interest before they complete their internship.
In his address, the Chairman of the occasion, Professor Kayode Adebowale, who is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, while commending the parents and graduands said the University has equipped them not just with knowledge, but with the critical thinking, resilience and compassion demanded by the profession, and also earning the right to bear the title of a Physiotherapist.
Speaking on the significance of the profession, Prof Adebowale explained that in an era where health challenges evolve rapidly, from the complexities of an aging population and the surge in non-communicable diseases to the aftermath of pandemonium and injuries, “the role of the Physiotherapist has never been more vital.
“You are not merely technicians of exercise, you are architects of movement, torchbearers of healing, and champions of functional independence. You posses the unique powers to restore hope, dignity and quality of life. You bridge the gap between illness and well essentially, injury and recovery, dependence and autonomy.
“The society you are about to serve desperately needs your expertise, your empathy, and your advocacy for preventive care and holistic well being.”
He charged the inductees to uphold the sanctity of their oath, be lifelong learners, practice with compassion and cultural sensitivity, be advocates, embrace leadership and innovation and also honor their Alma Mata.
In his remarks, the Provost, College of Medicine, UI, encouraged the young professionals to see their roles not just as a a therapists, but as advocates saying “The world you are stepping into needs more than practitioners, it needs visionaries. It needs those who will challenge systems that limit access to care. It needs those who will innovate, collaborate and humanise healthcare in every setting, from rural clinics to high-tech rehabilitation centres.”
In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director, UCH, Ibadan, Prof Jesse Otegbayo urged the professionals to remember that the graduation is not just a mere formality but an opportunity to uphold the ethics, ethos, standards amd values that define their profession.
He seized the opportunity to announce an automatic internship slots for 50 percent of the graduands.
