Health
UNILAG VC, others mentor young doctors to unlock opportunities beyond medicine
Angela Onwuzoo
It was an exciting and impactful experience for the young doctors who completed nine months of intensive mentoring in the fourth cohort of the Dr Abayomi Ajayi Physician Mentoring Programme.
The doctors bade farewell to their mentors, including the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, during a colourful closing ceremony in Lagos.
The 12 young doctors, including a dentist, received mentorship in emotional intelligence, financial literacy, leadership, governance, best practices, administration, accounting, self-discovery, and decision-making to equip them with the skills needed to thrive beyond clinical medicine.
The programme, facilitated by accomplished professionals from various fields, is designed to prepare young doctors to become successful medical professionals, leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators while helping them identify opportunities in Nigeria.
Created and self-funded by the Managing Director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr Abayomi Ajayi, the initiative goes beyond addressing the japa syndrome depleting Nigeria’s health workforce.
It equips young doctors with leadership, management, and entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to make informed career decisions and become well-rounded professionals.
The programme also fosters lasting relationships between mentors and mentees, creating opportunities for continued networking and professional support long after the mentorship ends.
Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise at the close-out dinner in Ikoyi, one of the mentees, Dr Yasir Hazma, described the programme as life-changing.
Hazma, who was mentored by Ogunsola, said the experience offered him far more than leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
According to him, it also opened doors to rare opportunities through the accomplished academic.
Hazma, who is undergoing residency training in the Department of Community Medicine at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, said, “It has been an impactful and memorable journey.
“My mentor is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola. I have been in contact with her over the last nine months, and she has taught me and exposed me to life-transforming skills.
“I was fortunate to have her as my mentor, and I cherish the privilege. I also thank Dr Abayomi Ajayi for this opportunity.”
Hazma, the only male in the fourth cohort, said one of the greatest impacts of the mentorship was inspiring him to pursue research.
He noted, “She is a leader and a researcher. With her guidance and support, I was able to publish a research paper in an international journal during this mentoring programme.
“She impacted me immensely. I learnt about emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and career mapping, which has helped me plan the kind of professional I want to become and how to achieve it.”
The young doctor said he discovered the mentorship programme through social media.
“I was motivated by the testimonials of previous beneficiaries, and that inspired me to apply. Fortunately, I was selected,” he said.
Hazma added that the mentors not only empowered them with skills for personal and professional growth but also taught them how to mentor others and contribute meaningfully to the development of the health sector.
The only dentist among the mentees, Oyinkansola Bakare, shared a similar experience.
Bakare, who works at Redeemer’s Health Village Hospital, Ogun State, said a friend who participated in the previous cohort introduced her to the programme.
“She told me about the numerous skills and opportunities the programme exposed her to—things we were never taught in medical school. That inspired me to apply, and I was fortunate to be selected for the fourth cohort.
“It has been a wholesome experience. It is not just a mentorship programme that impacts your career; it impacts every area of your life.
“Our mentors were exceptional. What made the programme even more enriching was that they came from diverse professional backgrounds. They shared both their successes and failures and explained how they succeeded in their various fields”, she said.
Speaking, the UNILAG VC said mentoring young doctors was essential to helping them recognise and harness the vast opportunities available in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is full of opportunities, so we need to show young doctors how to discover these opportunities and become productive rather than relocating permanently.
“They can travel abroad for training and return home to contribute to national development,” she said.
The renowned researcher said the opportunities many young professionals seek already exist in Nigeria and that they do not have to leave the country to succeed.
Ogunsola, a Professor of Medical Microbiology, stressed that success should not be measured solely by financial rewards.
“The impact you make on people’s lives is what matters most. That sense of purpose—that you are adding value and people recognise your contributions—is invaluable.
“Many of us graduate from medical school without a clear vision of what we truly want. This mentorship programme enables young doctors to interact with mentors from diverse fields who help them shape their career paths and gain clarity about where they want to be,” the don noted.
Ogunsola said the programme also creates life-changing networking opportunities.
“For example, my mentee and I are connected for life. There are places he cannot access on his own, but I can help him get there.
“There are doors I can open for him. I derive great satisfaction from working with younger people and seeing them succeed”, the researcher said.
Another mentor, Consultant Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon, Dr Kunle Onakoya, said the mentorship programme broadens the perspectives of young doctors.
He noted that many medical graduates leave school equipped only with clinical knowledge.
Onakoya explained, “The programme was established to bridge that gap. We are equipping them with life skills beyond medicine, including leadership, governance, best practices, administration, accounting, and other competencies essential for success.
“If you eventually decide not to practise medicine after graduation, what other opportunities are available? That is the question we are helping them answer.
“The feedback from the mentees has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Also speaking, non-medical mentor and Co-founder/Managing Partner of ZenvolveTech, Mrs Rashidat Adebisi, said the programme has evolved significantly.
“When it started, most of the mentors were doctors. But life extends beyond medicine, and medicine itself is also a business.
“Dr Ajayi’s decision to include professionals from other sectors demonstrates his commitment to diversity.
“Bringing my financial expertise into the programme was rewarding. I helped my mentee, who is a dentist, view opportunities from different perspectives and realise that Nigeria still offers immense possibilities,” said the former Country Director and Chief Client Officer of AXA Mansard Insurance Plc.
Earlier, Ajayi said the initiative was established to develop young doctors into leaders and entrepreneurs.
He said the programme had continued to achieve its objectives.
“We have seen remarkable progress from the testimonials of the beneficiaries.
“The programme has opened many eyes. We have seen participants make tremendous progress.
“In today’s world, where there are numerous distractions, young doctors need guidance to make the right decisions, and that is exactly what we are trying to provide”’, the Nordica MD said.
The fertility specialist said the programme was designed to help younger doctors avoid the mistakes made by previous generations who focused solely on clinical practice.
“There are numerous opportunities in Nigeria for doctors, but because our training is largely structured around clinical practice, many of us fail to recognise them.
“This mentorship programme helps doctors see beyond what medical school teaches”’, he said.
The programme coordinator, Ms Ibiyemi Ifaturoti, said the initiative unlocks the potential of young doctors through one-on-one and group mentoring sessions.
Ifaturoti said it also strengthens their professional networks while building leadership capacity through emotional intelligence, planning, self-discovery, and decision-making.
“We have an extensive emotional intelligence curriculum. We also train them in practical life skills that enable them to thrive as doctors, including financial literacy and effective communication,” she said.
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