Interventional neuroradiologist Dr. Kunle Ogungbemi has highlighted the benefits of mentorship and the importance of diversity in a report issued on 12 October by the U.K. Royal College of Radiologists (RCR).
Ogungbemi works in the National Health Service (NHS) at St. George's Hospital in London as head of the interventional neuroradiology service.
"One of the most positive developments in my medical career has been seeing a significant increase in the diversity of medical staff in the NHS," he noted in the RCR statement. "However, there is certainly still a long way to go, particularly when it comes to Afro-Caribbean doctors, with an emphasis on Caribbean representation and diversity at the upper echelons of the profession."
For Black History Month, Ogungbemi is underscoring the importance of mentoring, especially for support in navigating experiences of prejudice.
"[Carefully] recruit suitable mentors throughout your career," he pointed out. "[But] remember that your mentors are likely to be of a different generation. As such, some will inevitably have different views on what they consider to be acceptable or even normal levels of prejudice. This is just an unfortunate consequence of the historical levels of prejudice and the need for previous generations to pick their battles -- as in all probability, will you."
For more details, go to the RCR website.
