By Chinenye Anuforo
US-based Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Dr. Oyetokunbo Ibidapo-Obe, has encouraged Nigerian medicalstudents to consider building a career in clinical-academic medicine toreposition the Nigerian healthcare ecosystem and to advance medical researchoutputs across the African continent.
This was revealed during thefirst edition of the Oyetokunbo Ibidapo-Obe’s Medical Student Summit at theCollege of Medicine of the University of Lagos (CMUL) which seeks to advancethe longevity of medical art across the country.
The summit, which was themed “TheNexus between Striking Academic and Professional Relevance Across the Global MedicalLandscape,” featured the vice President of the Nigerian Medical Association(NMA), Dr. Tunji Adenekan, as well as an Australian-based Nigerian EmergencyPhysician, Dr. Osiomah Omogbai-Musa Anthony, who offered extensivecareer-related counsels on how Nigerian-trained medical students couldpositively contribute towards reshaping the Nigerian medical space across theglobal landscape through leveraging collaborations and mentorship opportunitiesat all levels.
Commenting on the need formedical students to consider a career in academic medicine, Ibidapo-Obe notedthat being an academic physician affords one the opportunity to carve a nichewithin the global medical terrain while also making tremendous contributions toboth academic medicine and clinical practices.
“The academic space within theglobal medical ecosystem gives you the opportunity as a budding physician toexplore possible areas of interest you might not have considered initially.
Thisis because academic medicine takes you to an unbeatable height of professionalexcellence which is not comparable to what being a regular
doctor affords you.
“This is made evident as clinical-academic medicineenables medical practitioners to contribute towards the advancement ofmedicine, while also developing a strong network of medical researchers, with the option of then pivoting into the world of private practice.”
Speaking on leveraging opportunitiesinherent in exploring mentorships and collaborations, Adenekan furtheradmonished students to explore the networking opportunities the NMA providesupon completion of their programme. This is because it keeps them updated withthe developments across the Nigerian medical community.
“As you advance in your medicalcareer irrespective of your area of specialisation, it is advisable that youkey into the NMA upon completion of your studies regardless of where you arepractising. This is a critical part of your career as it keeps you informedabout possible collaborations, including medical-related events that could set you apart in the medical field,” he noted.