Before you head overseas we really try and stress how important it is to build a really good relationship with your supervisor – this week we asked the students if they had any tips on impressing the people who matter.

Ward Round

Joe, our programme manager in Ghana told us; “Building a good relationship or rapport with not just your supervisor but all the staff in there is the key to having a good placement. This almost everyone in the house knows and agrees to, but when it comes to the issue of how, students gave variety of tips on how to impress the people who matter.”

Ada who has her name all over the obs and gynae department said that although she finds it easy around new people, what seems to be working the miracle is “to smile at everyone and also learn my fante (local language) very well… imagine going to the department the first day and saying “me ma mo akye”(good morning to you). Then they go like hey! Obroni(White person) speaks Fante. Then they all want to ask you stuff in fante only to realise that you only know a little bit. Then they find you interesting to talk to and that is the beginning of building a good rapport with them.” But Ada does not underestimate the element of hard working and showing all the signs of seriousness as one of the most important keys to impress your supervisors and the entire team. This can be shown by ones attitude to work, punctuality and how keen one is to learn. May be as Ada has been doing; taking some night and afternoon shifts to compliment the mornings.

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