The backlash on my last featured Bella Naija post (why you should study medicine in Nigeria) has prompted me to write this one. Good thing I’ve been in Nigeria for long enough to grow tough skin, some commenters had zero chill, you’d think they knew me from somewhere and I stole their happiness haha.
So you’ve had a look now? Read the vexations in the comments?
Great to have you back! So as the title alludes – why do Nigerians try to belittle what we have? So many people were quick to call me out for pointing out the pros of studying medicine in Nigeria and decided to write epistles on the cons in the comments (some were even longer than my entire post), funny thing was how a whole lot of the “cons” were based off of hearsay – did you, yourself, have an operation in a certified hospital in Nigeria and your organ(s) went missing and now you’re alive to comment on BN that Nigerian doctors are this that and the other?
Highly unlikely.
Nigerian doctors are leaving in large numbers and I cannot for the life of me blame them. After toiling under all sorts of harsh treatments before graduation, struggling to get a Housemanship placement, pushing through National Service year only for the real hustle to begin – getting a job as a medical officer, writing part 1 for the desired speciality and then finding a placement for residency.
Imagine being in this tough part of the medical career and then having your salary delayed by several months such that you have to find other work to do in the mean time so you can feed your dependents? Then add also being subject to all sorts of verbal abuse – by the very people that you are treating and frustrated by paramedics in any way possible? Tell me, if given the chance to change your life for the better when in this circumstance – would you reject it?
I digress.
The point of this article is that there’s nothing to gain from using every chance you can create to put down Nigerian doctors; our training is highly grueling and it’s all to ensure we are fit for practice – whether in a low or high income country, Nigerian doctors still thrive and are able to save lives – and that’s worth being commended.
