Exploring prospects towards innovation, entrepreneurship and career opportunities with Zimbabwean Association of Medical Laboratory Science Students (ZAMLS)

Story by Lenah Shumba (2.2, Medlab)

The ZAMLS has ushered in exposure of Medical laboratory sciences to students and pathways to the corporate world.  Having held its first annual symposium on the 18th of March 2023 at the University of Zimbabwe main campus in Harare, the event initiated the beginning of  a successful partnership between Africa University and University of Zimbabwe students. Quite a number of companies and exhibitors were present  for the symposium and these were Interpath Laboratories, Omnipath Laboratories, GloPath, Ideal Medicals, BRTI, OWSD, NMRL, and Target Laboratories among many others.

It was indeed an exciting experience as the symposium featured topics from digitalization of laboratory medicine, research and innovation, strategic leadership to financial education. These topics were presented by notable scientists and entrepreneurs such as Dr Tafadzwa Dzinamara, Dr Vitaris Kadogo and our very own Africa University College of Health and Natural Sciences Medical Laboratory ESciences Head of Department Mr. Garikai Malunga. 

The guest speaker for the symposium was Dr Nigel Chanakira who is a business mogul and  philanthropist . He has been awarded 30 local and international business awards in  his time in the corporate world, and is currently the Executive Chairman of Success Motivation Institute (SMI) based in Harare. His motivational talk left every student unconsciously reciting “Making money makes sense.” Hence, depicting how effective and prolific his efforts were towards facilitating the students and the lecturers around.  

Student leadership was represented by fellow Acacians Simbisai Mangwiro who is the ZAMLS Vice President as well as alumna Lisa Zvikomborero Soda who set the flow on motion. The symposium was a substantial opportunity for all Med-Lab sciences students, exposing them to job opportunities and connections with the corporate world and the students were left craving for more. It was undeniably a day to remember as the jaunt to the symposium was an opportune moment to show others how Africa University has educated us and how we can be better ambassadors of the AU in the world through the knowledge attained at the seminar.