President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has advised the 54 newly-qualified doctors of the University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences (UCCSMS) to be guided and guarded by the Hippocratic Oath they have sworn in the discharge of their medical duties. '’Let your Hippocratic Oath be your guide and guard in the discharge of your duties," he said, while congratulating them on behalf of the government and people of Ghana. The President reminded the new doctors that "UCC has equipped you with first class training and you are ready to take on the world by serving your society and humanity through the skills you have acquired. " President Akufo-Addo, speaking at the 50th Congregation and 5th Oath Swearing and Induction ceremony of the University, expressed disquiet about Ghana's doctor population ratio of one doctor to 8000 patients, bemoaning the fact that it was " woefully inadequate and unacceptable." Consequently, he called for the immediate arrest of the situation, which according to him, was even more lopsided in the rural and deprived communities. President Akufo-Addo praised UCCSMS for the introduction of the Community-Based Experience and Service mode in its curriculum to whip up the interest of students in community healthcare. He was of the hope that such programmes "will position the students to play good advocacy role as healthcare providers within the communities they are working after their studies". President Akufo-Addo said government was obliged to support UCCSMS to train more doctors to improve the quality of medical practice in the country. "We have a duty to ensure that this School [SMS] is well equipped to produce doctors with all the skills needed to improve the quality of medical practice in our country," he stated. For his part, the Chancellor, Sir Sam Jonah, appealed to the government to complete physical infrastructure at the SMS to enable the School to train more medical doctors in the country. The Chancellor passionately appealed to the government to review its directive to public universities to contribute 34℅ of their internally generated funds to the Consolidated Fund, describing the move as "discouraging and can stifle creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship". He requested government to take a second look at the issue of retirement age for faculty members, which was pegged at 60, pointing out that at age 60, Senior Members of faculty would had attained intellectual maturity and were able to mentor young members of faculty to provide guidance and supervision for research and teaching. Sir Sam Jonah reminded the new doctors of the many challenges at the health sector and asked them to be innovative and to think outside the box to surmount the challenges. He advised them to be guided by the motto of UCC- Veritas Nobis Lumen (Truth our Guide) and be good ambassadors of the university in all their endeavors. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, singled out the Founding Dean of the SMS, Rev. Harold Amonoo- Kuofi, for the remarkable role he played in the establishment of the UCCSMS and his unique leadership style of transforming the School. He equally expressed warmest appreciation to faculty and staff of the School for the knowledge and virtues they had impacted to the young doctors. Prof. Ampiah congratulated the graduands and thanked their parents and guardians who facilitated the studies of the young medical doctors up to the current height they have attained. The Vice-Chancellor implored the doctors to have passion for their work and keep researching and updating their professional knowledge. He charged the young doctors to “go out there and touch lives and when you meet challenging times, remember the training you have gone through and the things you have learnt and make a difference". The Valedictorian, Dr. Marcia Afriyie Agyemang, on behalf of the graduating class, pledged to work to enhance the health service delivery of the nation. Dr. Peter Lawer Apokyi was adjudged the graduating doctor, sweeping 8 of the 25 awards at stake.