International Day of Education 2024: Interview with Meumbur Praise Tule
Dr Meumbur Praise Tule is proof that you can achieve whatever you set your mind to do. She is very driven and the definition of a go-getter. She is currently an Internal Medical Resident at Trinity Health Oakland and is so full of purpose and passion. I consider her as someone full of life and the most glamorous Medical Doctor you may come across in a while. She has a way of achieving work-life balance which isn’t very common in her chosen career path. She celebrates International Day of Education by sharing her story with us.
Can we get to know you Dr Meumbur?
I am Meumbur Praise Tule, I am from Benue State Nigeria, Tiv by tribe, and currently 26 years old. I got my MB degree when I was 25 years old. My medical journey started in Nigeria at Bingham University and after four years, I moved to St Lucia for two years and eventually moved to the United States to complete my education in Baltimore, Maryland.
Presently, I am an internal medical resident at Trinity Health Oakland. I am from a family of seven, five girls and two boys. I am the second born. My dad has always believed in us, his girls and called us his blessings even when there was so much pressure for male children.
I love getting outside my comfort zone and go-getter. I am a good cook and I consider myself a people person.
How did you find medical school?
Truthfully, it was challenging. There were so many challenges along the line, however, I am a go-getter and I wasn’t fazed by the challenges. There were diverse distractions, however, I knew what I wanted and refused to get distracted. I was mostly away from my parents and the environment I was used to. I had the liberty to do whatever I wanted but I knew what I wanted and went for it.
Why medicine? Was it always a dream?
Back at Secondary School, as someone with a go-getter mindset, I perceived going into the sciences as a more challenging path to take and decided to go for it. I wanted to be challenged. Biology was easily my best subject. Mathematics wasn’t necessarily my thing but Biology. Fortunately, Biology forms the foundation of Medicine. Understanding how the body gives cues to things deeply fascinated me.
I also genuinely love to have solutions. When I don’t have answers to questions or problems, it troubles me. Medicine as a course, works well with my personality as a person. I don’t consider my career “work” sometimes because of how effortless it tends to be for me. It also helps that I care a lot about my patients and genuinely want them to be better. I have found on the job that sometimes, people are not necessarily ill, they just want someone to be there for them and it comes easy for me.
What is your take on education? Do you believe it is a passport to the world?
Absolutely!
Knowledge is power. Whenever I read up before meeting my patients or making a presentation, I feel powerful. Knowledge opens doors for a person, it distinguishes a person. Anyone can talk, but people want to listen to those with knowledge.
Education is vast. It cuts through diverse fields. People should not be limited to what is deemed as a money-making career path. People must choose career paths/courses of study based on individual strengths.
It doesn’t matter how long it takes, put in the price. If you put in the bare minimum of work, you will reap the bare minimum results. You need to pay the price required and it wouldn’t take forever. We will all have to sacrifice for different things at different points.
The current state of the educational sector in Nigeria is nothing to write home about. The ASUU strikes, the deplorable state of academic facilities, underpaid teachers, misappropriation of funds meant to improve the system amongst many other challenges give credence to this fact.
If you had a chance to speak to the President of Nigeria and encourage him to make some changes, what would your suggestions be?
First of all, I will ask the President to reconsider the budget for education in Nigeria. You don’t pay for what you don’t value. The lack of a generous budget for education shows the priority of the government. The Nigerian government may need to reprioritize. Once the country sees that the government has reprioritized, their interest in education will follow.
The Northern part of Nigeria seems to be the most uneducated part of Nigeria. I would propose informal education for the said region. Not everyone may believe in formal education, however informal activity will bring economic activities to that region. This will bring investors and global interest to that region and in turn eradicate the deeply rooted poverty.
Thank you so much for your time Meumbur. I trust your story will inspire young people like us around the continent. Wishing you the very best with all that you do!
You can find more about Dr Meumbur Praise Tule here
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