After much anticipation, the 63rd Health Week of the University of Ibadan Medical Students’ Association (UIMSA), is finally here. It’s dopamine rush season. The excitement is definitely palpable. This annual event provides a welcome break for medical students from their constant shuffle between books and rotations. As usual, the Health Week promises a variety of activities, including dinners, bonfires, debates, games, track and field events, and the highly anticipated IMSG Quiz competition.
The IMSG Quiz is an interclass competition that is held during the Health Week. Participants are tested on General Science, General Knowledge, Math and Logic, Basic Medical Science and Clinical Science. Beyond the showcase of academic prowess, it is a competition that breeds rivalry among various levels. Surprises are not foreign to the competition. Last year, we witnessed an unexpected comeback, as the 2k24 class won the competition after an exhilarating blitz round. Prior to the round, they were poised to take the 4th position. In the same edition, we saw the 2k19 class that won the IMSG Quiz of the 61st Health Week finish fourth overall.
In previous editions, the IMSG Quiz consisted of a preliminary round, the semifinal and the final round. This year’s edition presents an even tougher challenge, as two classes will be eliminated in the first round, reducing each team’s chances of advancing further.
The UIMSA Press team spoke with quiz coaches from different classes to gather their perspectives on the competition.
When speaking with the 2K27 quiz coach, Oluwasebimotife, he expressed confidence in his team’s preparations. Here is what he had to say:
Q: Your class won the preclinical quiz against 2K25 and 2K26. Are you confident in your ability to replicate that success?
Oluwasebimotife: Yes, I am confident we can replicate our previous success. With God on our side and our hard work, we can do it.
Q: Do you think your experience level will impact your performance?
Oluwasebimotife: Certainly! Experience is the mother of wisdom. Knowing this, my team has been exposed to the modalities, the technicalities, and how the questions are set, so we hope for a positive impact.
Q: Who do you think will win this quiz competition?
Oluwasebimotife: I can’t say for certain. In a quiz, it’s not just about the best team, but also about luck-where opportunity meets preparedness.
Israel, the quiz coach of the 2K26 class, shared insights about the competition from previous experience
Q: Your class made it past the first-round last time despite being new to the competition. What do you attribute this success to?
Israel: Well, that was possible because of the uniqueness of my team. Although we were in 100 level, we had members who had studied preclinical courses to a reasonable extent. We also divided responsibilities based on individual strengths, rather than just drafting serious participants.
Q: What lesson did you learn from last year’s competition that you’re applying this year?
Israel: One important lesson is recognizing our weak points. The clinical students might not be as sharp in preclinical subjects as we are, while our own weakness lies in our unfamiliarity with clinical topics, which is a significant hurdle.
Our press team also spoke with the quiz coach of the 2K25 class to assess their level of preparedness.
Q: Are you confident that your class can win this quiz?
Quiz Coach: I can’t say for sure; man proposes, God disposes.
Last year, the 2k24 class became the first preclinical class to win the IMSG Quiz. A class known for breaking records as they were also the first 100-level class to emerge as the best team in the preliminary stage of the quiz, it is clear they are more than ready to replicate their success. Here’s what the 2K24 quiz coach had to say:
Q: Do you believe you can win this quiz again, considering your past success?
Miracle: Definitely! We’ve worked very hard, and despite some delays in commencement of the Health Week due to strike and examinations, we’ve continued to prepare to the best of our abilities. More importantly, the quiz is fun for us, which is likely why we’ve been outperforming our seniors since 100 level.
Q: Do you have any advice for your opponents?
Miracle: I just want to tell them to bring their A-game and watch out for last year’s champions—old, young, senior, and junior alike.
The Press team could not get to the Quiz Coach of the 2K23 class so we had a chat with Hallelujah Oludele, a prominent member of their quiz team.
Q: Do you think this quiz poses a challenge to your class?
Hallelujah: Not much of a challenge for us. We will try our best and we will win
Q: Your class finished 3rd at the last IMSG quiz. Do you see that position changing this time?
Hallelujah: Yes, things will change this time. We will win.
Q: What do you think your class can benefit from this quiz?
Hallelujah: Quizzes are fun. My class is already a great class, boasting of distinctions never heard of in a long time in med school, this quiz will just be an add on to the existing greatness.
A team blessed with talent med individuals who have won numerous academic competitions for UIMSA, the 2K21 class have not been able to win the IMSG Quiz. They came close twice, finishing 2nd at the previous 2 editions. This is their last chance at gold and speaking with Adeniyi Adesola, their quiz coach, he had some reflections.
Q: Unfortunately, your class has not won the last two editions despite coming close. What do you attribute this to?
Adeniyi: It’s quite unfortunate. I’d say luck is one factor we can’t overlook in any competition and that has not really favored us. Also, the organization of the quiz has also had its flaws.
Q: How do you plan to address the issues from the previous quizzes?
Adeniyi: While we don’t have control over the rules of the quiz, I just hope there will be a better balance between the regular sections and the blitz section, especially in how the blitz is structured.
Q: This is your class’s last chance to win the competition. Are you confident this year will be yours?
Adeniyi: I believe the 2K21 class is undeniably the best team, and I am confident that no team is as formidable as ours in UIMSA. We have the best of the best, and this year, victory is certain.
The first round of the IMSG Quiz will take place on Saturday, the 24th day of May, 2025. Each class has its strength and strategies, and only time will tell who will emerge victorious. Eyes will witness brilliance, hearts will bang in apprehension and inevitably, heads will hang in disappointment. The question remains: who will win the 2025 IMSG Quiz?
Olive O’Dwyer