Prof. dr. Ova Emilia, M.Med.Ed., SpOG(K)., Ph.D., has gone a long way in fighting for the medical education sciences in Indonesia. But she has now reaped the fruit of her hard work. The Dean for academic, students affairs and alumni at Faculty of Medicine UGM has been inaugurated as professor.
It is special for Prof. Ova Emilia as she is the first to be inaugurated as a professor in medical education in the country. More specially, she is inaugurated during the Kartini’s day on Thursday (21/4) in the Senate Hall UGM.
This event serves as a recognition of medical profession in medical education. "Formerly, medical education did not receive much attention. Now, with this professorship being granted, the career of an educator in medical sciences has seen a bright future,” said Ova Emilia.
Despite the recognition, a number of challenges still remain, including on how to generate qualified doctor graduates as there are still concerns over the quality of some doctors.
"Currently, there are 83 medical faculties throughout Indonesia, with 31 at state universities. The diverse qualities of graduates pose some risk as this relates to public health,” she said.
So, in her remarks following the professorship entitled Medical Education: Development and Challenge, Ova Emilia asked all medical academics and practitioners, including the Health Ministry, to join hands improving medical education quality for the betterment of Indonesia.
"Life-long learning is an uncompromising contract when someone chooses the doctor profession. Meanwhile, life-long innovation in medical education is a must along with the changes in health service systems. Qualified human resource is produced by qualified medical education. Eventually, this will produce excellent services,” she concluded.