Retired Mulago Hospital staff gets degree at 60, fulfils lifelong dream

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At nearly 61 years old, when many professionals are winding down their careers, a former staff member of Mulago National Referral Hospital has chosen a new chapter by graduating with a bachelor’s degree months after retirement.

After serving 25 years in the field of anaesthesia at Mulago, Catherine Magoola Nakamya was among the over 9,000 graduands at Makerere University completing a Bachelor of Medical Education, a three-year programme she started in September 2022. She completed her studies in June 2025 and officially retired in August of the same year.

Before that, Nakamya attained three diplomas in nursing, anaesthesia, and health leadership and management at the defunct Mulago Paramedical School.

For her, returning to school was not about adding another qualification to her name. It was about purpose, but she also got inspired by her own children.

During her long service in anaesthesia, a critical speciality responsible for keeping patients safe and pain-free during surgery, she began to notice a gap. While many health workers were dedicated to service delivery, fewer had formal training in teaching and mentoring future practitioners.

“I saw a gap, and I felt I needed to upgrade so that I could gain the skills to teach and prepare learners better,” she explains.

In July 2022, she attended interviews and was admitted to pursue the degree. At the time, she was already approaching retirement age. Many would have considered it too late to take on such a demanding academic journey. She did not.

Balancing work, school and family became her greatest challenge. From Monday to Friday, she attended classes. On weekends, she reported for hospital duty. When it was time for teaching practice, she used her annual leave. Evenings were reserved for assignments and family responsibilities.

“The biggest challenge was managing time, but I was determined not to fail at work, at home, or in class,” she says.

Financially, she was fortunate to continue receiving her salary and also secured sponsorship support. At the hospital, she worked with a supportive team that ensured patient care remained uninterrupted. She credits teamwork and good working relationships for helping her succeed.

She also acknowledges the encouragement of her acting head of department, Dr Mark Mayanja Kasumba, who consistently urged her to further her education. His simple but persistent question, “When will you take this path?” stayed with her until she finally enrolled.

Education is a strong value in her home. She is a mother of three, and all her children have pursued higher education. Two have completed their master’s degrees, while the youngest is currently pursuing one (master's). Rather than feeling pressured by their achievements, she felt inspired.

She says grading just months after retirement finds it a blessing, noting that learning has no age limit.

“Professional growth does not end because one is nearing retirement,” she brags.

After 25 years of dedicated service in anaesthesia, Nakamya leaves Mulago not only as a retired practitioner but also as a trained medical educator, equipped to mentor the next generation of health workers. 

She believes in partnering with the education ministry to further extend her skills to the young ones.