With two-thirds of doctors struck off the medical register in the United Kingdom coming from Africa, Dr Adaeze Ifezulike has written a book, Medicine Abroad, to guide new doctors seeking to practise abroad.
The family physician and general practitioner hopes that lessons from the book would help reduce the negative statistics and enhance the career of African-trained doctors in foreign countries.
While defending the quality of medical training offered by Nigerian medical schools, Mrs Ifezulike who has practised for 16 years abroad attributed the challenges that Nigerian/African doctors face to a lack of understanding of cultural differences in the practice of medicine in the UK.
She said she wrote the book in response to enquiries by Nigerian parents making plans to send their wards abroad to study or practice medicine.
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka trained medic said when she started out after studying Medicine that she needed such guidance but got none.
She said: “This book came out of my own need. I got to the UK and found that it was really different. I really wished at that point that I had someone to guide me. There are cultural, societal differences. There are also patients’ differences. I found out that there were very high rates of disciplinary measures against foreign medics. A research by The Telegraph paper revealed that two-thirds of those doctors struck off from the medical register were foreign medics. This can be a big blow to families. I found out that the issues were not with passing exams but cultural differences.”
Highlighting one major difference between medical practice in Nigeria and abroad, Dr Ifezulike said over there, the doctor-patient relationship was that of equals, unlike in Nigeria where doctors impose their diagnoses.
“In our culture here in Nigeria, the doctor is regarded as king. Moving over to UK, I found that the consultation is between equals. I understood that you don’t just tell a patient this is what you need to do. It is so important that there is a rapport. The patient must be made to feel that he is a part of the decision,” she said.
Mrs Ifezulike got a taste of that herself as her brother, Mr Mike Ogbalu, who supported her at the presentation of the book, said she passed all qualifying examinations except the one on patient management, which the assessors considered important.
Dr Ifezulike hopes that issues discussed in the Medicine Abroad would be addressed in reviewing medical training to reflect the right attitudes.
