I got messages from people who wanted to find out how I manage business and medical School effectively after my story was shared on Nairaland. I have answered some, I couldn't answer some because I was typing the same answers repeatedly so I decided to answer the questions at once and share the link with those I am yet to respond to their questions.

I will use this person's questions as a guide since it covers all the questions and is the same set of questions I was asked:

1) After your first degree, did you go on to do NYSC?

Yes. I did. I wanted to continue immediately with medical School but the Schools I applied to refused granting me an admission because I didn't have my NYSC discharge certificate. It is a directive of NUC and Jamb.

2) What was it like for you studying for jamb and since you had a first degree, why didn't you apply through direct entry?

I never wrote jamb after my first degree. The initial headline used to report the story was misleading and false. I only wrote jamb twice before my first degree and I passed both. I needed to change Course and that was the reason why I wrote a second jamb in 2009. Prior to this, I was a student in Uniben. My first jamb in 2008 got me admitted into Uniben.
After my first degree, all my applications were through direct entry and you don't write jamb exams for direct entry. Catchment area, NYSC, 2nd choice etc delayed my direct entry admission, not jamb.
I was surprised when I saw the headlines in several blogs that I wrote jamb six times. It is completely false.

3) What advice can you help me with that can enable ___ source for funds for medical school?

There are so many available options. Luckily, medical school in Nigeria is one of the cheapest if not the cheapest you would find in the world.
I don't know where your strength lies or what your skills are but trust me, if you have a talent and put it to good use, it will pay off.
Speaking for myself, I have made money from writing CV's and resumes for people and I got all the clients online. I didn't have to break a sweat to get jobs. There are so many people who are ready to pay for services like writing, graphics design, tutoring etc online. I put a stop to the writing service because it was eating deep into my time. And No, Fiverr doesn't work for me, I got all my clients from normal online interactions and I had referrals too.

If you are good with graphics, go for it.
Another way I get funds is through my personal business but I must say if you are not extra careful with time, you may lose it completely. I wouldn't advice a medical student to be involved in a business that involves operations though I am doing it. I had it all figured out before I got in.


Let me tell you some online businesses you can do that can get you funds if you understand the basics:

a). Selling information - This is very easy. A lot of people are on the blogosphere looking for answers to a lot of questions, identify the problem and if you have the solution, sell it. It can be in form of E-book, Video, audio, webinars, course package etc.
I only sell E-books, I haven't tried the rest.

You can buy the rights to an information based product and resell. Do your research properly to know how these things work.

Just find a problem and provide the solution.

b). Health products marketing - I have no interest in this but trust me, it is profitable if you get it right.

c). Affiliate Marketing - It takes time but it is profitable if you get it right.

d). Real Estate Marketing - You don't need to be involved physically. It works like affiliate marketing. All you need is your phone and internet then find the right real estate companies to work with.
You can do more research on this online.

e). There are other options like photography. I don't know anything about this but trust me, there is money to be made in photography.

f). Personal business of any kind that won't affect your study time.

g). Scholarship!


4) How do you cope with working and _____ the ____ of medical School?

It is simple. Focus on what matters. Plan your time well. Organization is key. I don't involve myself in any activity that will take my time. No school or departmental politics or activities that consume time. Just business and school. The time others use in going to parties or meetings that last long or anything that eats into one's time, I use it to study. I don't mix business and study time.

5) What inspired you to pursue a second degree in Dentistry?

I would rephrase it to 'what inspired your choice of study?

I first had an interest in the medical sciences when I was eleven and got admitted in the hospital for about three months. Prior to my admission, during my admission and post admission at the hospital, the whole experience was great for me and I started telling everyone I would like to be a Doctor. Even though at a point in secondary school, I changed plans and wanted to be a Lawyer because of my love for literature in English and the fact that I was excelling in it. But I still wanted the medical sciences and that was what informed my choice of Biochemistry, hoping to cross over with it in 200 L but it didn't work out and I had to finish. Biochemistry is both Industrial and Medical. I was exposed to both in School and somehow, I got interested in the food and beverage industry too. My seminar presentation in my final year informed my business decision. I presented the topic: Anti inflammatory activities of Bioactive compounds in plants. This topic made me to research more on plants and I realized that a lot of plants are under promoted. So I started the Natural drinks production business to promote these plants.

So that is it.

I hope I have been able to answer all the questions properly.

Chao!