RIIO intern Lambert Ntashamaje, shares his experience at RIIO.
Why did you chose to intern at RIIO?
After completing my foundation year in health and science at Dublin International Foundation College (DIFC), I looked for a place where I can get experience in my home country before I start my medicine course. RIIO came into my mind as my first choice, and I did not hesitate to apply for such an incredible opportunity; in fact, I chose to intern at RIIO because it has facilities that helps interns get exposed to the medical services as well as learning how doctors and nurses treat patients. Unlike other medical internships, I chose RIIO because it focuses only on eye care which makes it special for me as a student who is going to study medicine; definitely, RIIO provides sufficient knowledge about the eye entirely.
What were your expectations before joining RIIO?
I had lots of expectations after being accepted by RIIO as an intern for two months, and of course I have not been deceived since I started. First of all, I could not wait to observe some eye operations like cataract surgery and see patients get back their normal vision; personally, I had huge enthusiasm to see what I call miracles happening.
How has your experience been?
Well, I have been exposed to all services delivered by RIIO’s partner Dr. Agarwal’s eye hospital. It has been one of my favourite time to taste on medical service delivery. I got an opportunity to interact with patients as well as getting an overview of how health services are done in Rwanda. Practically, I have learnt some ophthalmology basics like taking both eye vision and eye pressure using refractometer and tonometer respectively. In optometry, I learnt how optometrists measure eyesight, prescribing corrective lenses as well as detecting eye disease. Most importantly, I observed cataract surgery and corneal transplantation which were both done by doctors; they were all interesting operations where at the beginning I was scared, but amazed by the results of operations. I would say that the two operations attracted my attentions of specialising in ophthalmology after general medicine course. In sum, RIIO has been the first step that opens my eyes medical-wide. Both frequent assignments and advices from doctors prepare me become a successful medical doctor. I am glad that I was given the chance to intern at RIIO.