Young doctors need more than clinical skills to thrive – Ajayi

…Says mentoring essential for leadership, financial acumen

By Sola Ogundipe

Young Nigerian doctors have been admonished to acquire leadership, financial literacy, and strategic career abilities in addition to their clinical competence, in their quest to building successful careers,
Accomplished professionals in medicine, academia, finance, business and the pharmaceutical industry who gave the admonition said practical training in leadership, career planning and financial management, have become crucial in today’s evolving healthcare environment.

They spoke at the close of the fourth cohort of the Dr. Abayomi Ajayi Mentoring Programme, a professional development initiative designed to help young Nigerian doctors navigate the transition from medical school into successful, sustainable careers.

A key feature of the programme is its access to mentors from different fields, including medicine, academia, finance, business, law and other professional sectors. Through one on one mentoring and group sessions, participants gain practical insight into career choices, professional networks, personal finance and leadership.

The programme also addresses the growing migration of Nigerian doctors. Rather than simply discouraging young doctors from leaving the country, it encourages them to make informed decisions about migration, understand the opportunities and challenges abroad, acquire useful skills and experience if they leave, and consider how they can contribute to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Medical Director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, and Founder of the Programme, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, said with the incessant migration of Nigerian doctors remaining a major public concern, mentoring had become indispensable.
“This mentoring programme is an initiative created to bridge the gap between medical education and professional life by exposing young doctors to skills that are rarely taught in medical school,” he said.
He noted that at its core, the programme seeks to produce well rounded doctors who can do more than treat patients.
“Young doctors need more than medicine to thrive. For those who want to japa, we don’t tell them, ‘don’t go’, we encourage them to make informed decisions, but if they decide to leave for greener pasture, they should go to acquire knowledge, skills and experience, then return to help strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system,” he stated.
The programme, Ajayi explained, combines mentorship from accomplished professionals in various specialties with practical training in leadership, career planning and financial management.
“We expose the mentees to opportunities that exist in Nigeria while also helping them understand the realities of working abroad. Many young people make decisions based on incomplete or inaccurate information,” Ajayi added.
Rather than just patriotism, he said the programme gives participants a balanced perspective that enables them to make better-informed career decisions, whether they choose to remain in Nigeria or pursue opportunities overseas.
“Its broader goal is to help young physicians become capable leaders, financially savvy professionals and future decision makers who can contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s health system, whether they build their careers at home or abroad, he remarked.”
One of the programme’s mentors, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, described mentoring as one of Nigeria’s most underutilised tools for retaining talented healthcare professionals.
Ogunsola observed that many young doctors are surrounded by negative narratives about Nigeria and often come to believe that success is only possible outside the country.
“Nigeria has so much going for it and it is important that young doctors don’t leave simply because all they hear is bad news. This country is a country of opportunities. We need to show them that you don’t have to go abroad to be successful,” she said.
Further, Ogunsola said financial success alone should not define a career, noting that lasting fulfilment comes from making a meaningful difference. She added that mentors help young professionals navigate the uncertainty that often follows graduation by offering guidance, opening doors to professional networks and providing long-term support.
Addressing the growing wave of doctor migration, she said it is beneficial to encourage them to pursue japa with a clear purpose and a plan to return home.
An Orthopaedic Surgeon and healthcare management expert, Dr. Kunle Onakoya, said the mentoring programme was developed in recognition of the reality of medical schools producing competent clinicians, but not always equipping them with the leadership, governance, financial management and other practical skills required throughout their careers.
Onakoya, who is also an active mentor, “The Dr Abayomi Ajayi Mentoring initiative is designed to produce well-rounded professionals who can lead hospitals, manage healthcare organisations and respond effectively to the increasing complexity of modern healthcare.
Former Country Director and Chief Client Officer at AXA Mansard and Co-founder of Zenball Technologies, Rashida Adebisi, said financial literacy is an essential skill that every healthcare professional should possess.
Adebisi, the only non-medical mentor in the programme noted that many doctors graduate from medical school without any formal education in personal finance, budgeting, investing or retirement planning, despite the critical role those skills play in building sustainable careers.
“When the programme started, it was largely medical doctors mentoring medical doctors, but over time, it became clear that professional success requires much more than clinical knowledge. Medicine is also a business. Running a practice demands financial management, leadership and sound decision-making,” she said.
The coordinator of the mentoring programme, Mrs. Ibiyemi Faturoti, said the initiative has continued to evolve in response to participants’ feedback. In addition to one-on-one mentoring, it now includes group sessions where young doctors learn from professionals in finance, law, engineering, business and other fields.
She said the programme is not about persuading doctors to remain in Nigeria at all costs but about ensuring they make career decisions based on a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges, both at home and abroad.
“Medical school equips doctors with clinical knowledge, but there are many other skills they need to succeed professionally. Our role is to expose them to those skills and help them discover the different career paths available to them,” she said.