The first batch of 150 MBBS students of the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, Campus-2, at Phulnakhara on NH-16, the second medical college under the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) were welcomed at an inauguration ceremony held on Monday.

The students, from across the country, walked into the new academic building of the institute with eager steps as the university’s Founder President Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak congratulated them while wishing them a great future in the profession.

“Learn and study with purpose. You’ll not only need to treat and heal patients but become a source of hope and comfort for those in pain,” he said in a message which was read out during the ceremony.

Prof. (Dr.) Nayak said the institution would go out of the way to ensure that the students didn’t lack anything in their academic pursuit. The new institute at Phulnakhara which was operating with 700 beds had exceeded the guideline of the National Medical Commission by having in place 30 per cent more faculty members than the requirement, he said.

At a separate inauguration program organised earlier in the day at IMS and SUM Hospital, Campus-1, at Kalinga Nagar, 250 new MBBS students comprising the 18th batch were also inducted.

At Phulnakhara, the program was also addressed by Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. (Dr.) Prasanjeet Mohanty, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. (Dr.) Gangadhar Sahoo, former Dean of IMS and SUM Hospital, Prof. (Dr.) Arakhita Swain, Dean of IMS and SUM Hospital, Campus-2, Prof. (Dr.) Rajesh Kumar Lenka, Medical Superintendent of the hospital and Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare).

Addressing the students, Prof. Nanda said they had chosen to study at SOA which was ranked 14th in the country this year by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). The university was also chosen as the 24th best institute by NIRF in the overall category, he said adding the IMS and SUM Hospital had been ranked 21st among medical colleges.

SOA, he said, was a research centric university with 20 dedicated research centres which were working in alignment with national requirements.

Prof. (Dr.) Sahoo, who interacted with the students, said to become good doctors they needed to be good human beings first. “You need to have the characteristics of a good human being which should get reflected through their attitude, behavior, discipline and empathy.

The inauguration ceremony at Campus-1 of IMS and SUM Hospital was also graced by the Vice-Chancellor, Controller of Examination, Prof. Manjula Das, Dean Prof. (Dr.) Sanghamitra Mishra, Medical Superintendent in-charge Prof. (Dr.) Saroj Kumar Satpathy and Dean (Students’ Welfare) Prof. Das.