Expert canvasses ‘inspiring’ mentorship in medical profession

A medical expert, Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, has advocated for inspiring mentorship in the medical profession.

Ashiru stated this at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos’ 20th annual scientific conference and gathering, in Lagos on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference had as its theme: “Mentorship: Raising the Next Generation of Leaders in the Medical Profession”.

Ashiru, a reproductive endocrinologist who was the guest lecturer at the occasion, stressed the need for mentoring the younger ones in the medical field for them become the best in the profession.

“Inspire those around you and encourage them; not to put them down but to lift them up because the more you are lifting people up, the more you are also lifting yourself up,” he said.

The medical expert also advised mentees to look up to their seniors and get the best out of them, with humility and respect.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof Wasiu Adeyemo, said that the mentoring being emphasised was about the next generation.

“No matter how young we think that we are, add 20 years to our age, even if we are still alive, there are so many things we won’t be able to do, just like some of our mentors.

“But we need to carry on the system, and that is the purpose of mentoring; the system needs to continue and if the system must continue, we need to mentor the next generation.

“Mentoring is about direction, the mentor has to be interested as much as the mentees; it’s is symbiotic, kind of.

“No matter what we say, we are going to retire one day; we must be concerned with what happens to the system after our exit,” he said.

Adeyemo stressed the need for mentoring the younger ones in order to prepare them for future leadership.

Also speaking, the Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences of the college, Prof Olufemi Fasanmade, said that the focus of the conference was on raising younger generation to safeguard the future.

Fasanmade said that the conference also dwelled on the importance of passing down the right knowledge, skills and values of the medical profession.

“This theme also speaks of how vital it is to pass the baton of professionalism, ethical values and a culture of accountability to the younger generation,” he said.