Long before he became the man behind Rabito Clinic, Prof. Edmund Delle was a medical student in Europe who spent his holidays washing dishes and cleaning to support himself.
Long before he became the man behind Rabito Clinic, Prof. Edmund Delle was a medical student in Europe who spent his holidays washing dishes and cleaning to support himself.
His journey to becoming a recognized medical professional was not built solely in lecture halls and hospitals. It also involved taking on jobs far removed from medicine, saving money and earning the trust of a mentor who would eventually give him a major role in his medical career.
In an interview with broadcaster Kafui Dey, Prof. Delle recalled how he travelled to Britain and Germany during holidays while studying at the University of Padova in Italy to work as a dishwasher and cleaner.
“When I was in Padova University, all the holidays I used to go to Britain or to Germany to work as a dishwasher, a cleaner,” he said.
The jobs paid off. Prof. Delle explained that the money he saved allowed him to purchase a Lancia car, which he described as one of the most expensive cars in Italy at the time.
“So I was able to save enough money to buy a Lancia car, which is one of the most expensive cars in Italy at that series,” he recalled.
A mentor who treated him like a son
Beyond his experience as a student and his efforts to earn money, Prof. Delle’s story is closely tied to his relationship with Professor Rabito, whom he described as a father figure and mentor.
According to Prof. Delle, their relationship went beyond that of a senior doctor and a student.
“The interesting story is that Rabito took me as his son,” he said.
At the time, Prof. Delle was in Belgium studying tropical medicine, a step he said was intended to ensure he could practise general medicine if he returned to Ghana.
His training took an important turn when Professor Rabito was confirmed as the head of Rabito Clinic. Looking for someone he could trust to assist him, Rabito decided to bring his former student back.
“He immediately looked around his assistants and then said, ‘Look, I’ll call my son who is in Belgium to come and be my assistant,’” Prof. Delle recounted.
Prof. Delle said his mentor had prepared him so thoroughly that he was already gaining considerable dermatological experience before completing his sixth year of study.
“He trained me so well that before I could even get to the sixth year, I learned a lot of dermatology,” he said.
Rabito’s confidence in his abilities was such that he would send him to practice in smaller Italian towns.
“He would throw me to one of the old towns in Italy. ‘Go. You are the dermatologist,’” Prof. Delle recalled.
He said he learned quickly under Rabito’s guidance, adding that his progress made his mentor proud.
“But I learned so fast at him that he was so proud of me,” he said.
When the call came for him to return from Belgium and become Rabito’s first assistant, Prof. Delle said he accepted willingly.
“So when he called me from Belgium to come and be his first assistant, I went willingly,” he recalled.
Mistaken for a white man
Prof. Delle’s experience in Europe also came with moments that highlighted the perceptions and assumptions he encountered as a Black African studying and working abroad.
He recalled that when people heard about his background and experience in Belgium, some found it difficult to believe that he was Black.
“The people thought I was a white man because how can a Belgian be black?” he said.
The remark captures one of the unusual experiences he encountered while pursuing his education and professional development in Europe.
Yet, beyond such encounters, he continued to build his medical knowledge and strengthen his relationship with the man who would eventually place significant responsibility in his hands.
From student to resident doctor
Prof. Delle’s return to work with Rabito marked another significant stage in his career.
With Rabito leading the clinic, arrangements were made for him to live on the premises and take up his responsibilities more fully.
Prof. Delle recalled that his mentor instructed the clinic’s staff to provide him with a room so he could stay there and serve as a resident doctor.
“When I got to Padua University, and with Rabito there as the boss, he instructed them to give me a room so that I could stay there and really be the resident doctor in the clinic,” he said.
The arrangement placed him in a position to work closely with Rabito and continue developing the practical skills he had acquired during his training.
