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The world’s first and only Board certified interventional cardio-nephrologist, Olurotimi Badero, tells FAITH AJAYI about his career trajectory and other issues
What inspired your decision to pursue medicine, especially after initially wanting to become an engineer?
I had a private conversation with my father late one night that changed the course of my career.
How did that conversation shape the direction of your career as a physician?
My father was an erudite figure who had a challenging childhood, having lost his father when he was just eight months old. He then moved to Lagos from the village to pursue his dream, and eventually became the Central Administrative Manager at SCOA Motors. So, adversity was not foreign to him, and I was aware of that. We had a special bond as I was very close to him. We slept in the same room for years and he would share his experiences with me. Naturally, I had an admiration, respect and love for him.
So, when he called me into his room that fateful night, he told me that medicine was in line with my calling— a way for me to impact the world and leave my prints on the sands of time. He told me I would do something special in the field of medicine and his blessings would always be with me, so I listened.
What led you to combine heart and kidney specialities?
I would say “adversity”. I had wanted to be a cardiologist, but some people stood in my way earlier on. I had a mentor— a nephrologist— who made me develop a passion for nephrology. So, when I was denied the opportunity to train in cardiology at my institution despite a high score in my interview, I applied for a nephrology fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and was accepted. I was the only black trainee out of 30 fellows in the department. Midway into my nephrology training, I was offered the cardiology position.
Naturally, I was at a crossroads regarding what to do. I had different people telling me to choose one over the other, but my mentor told me to find a way to do both since it had never been done before. This meant a lot of sacrifice, hard work and dedication. But, I embarked on that journey and here I am.
You have completed an impressive seven specialities. How did you manage such an extensive and diverse training journey?
I give all glory to God for His mercies and preservation throughout my journey. I believe one born to perform but develops to outperform. The series of adversities and challenges fuelled my journey; that was my motivation. Each specialty was met with opposition, but with God, I overcame those oppositions. Anticipation must always collide with participation. I knew I had to play my part and let the anticipation take care of itself. The separation is always in the preparation. When one prepares, one separates oneself. One should not give up on oneself when God has not given up on one.
Can you share the impact your upbringing in Lagos had on you and guided your determination to succeed in the medical field?
I believe our values and beliefs are the invisible psychological software with the capacity to influence the direction and limit of intellectual, cultural and social development of a people or race. I grew up in Ebute Metta in the Lagos mainland area. Ebute Metta means the three harbours—Otto, Iddo and Oyingbo. It is a middle-class neighbourhood, and I grew up with seven other siblings. As the seventh child, I had to figure out a lot of things for myself as my siblings were older, had their friends and were not always around to answer my questions. Also, my parents were quite strict and placed a lot of value on education. I was close to my dad and developed a strong sense of self early on. I attended a private catholic primary school— St Mary’s— and it was run by Irish nuns.
At school, I mingled with privileged kids and when I got home, I played football with underprivileged kids. This interplay of social balance proved to be crucial to my sense of identity, determination and appreciation of life. I met the haves and have-nots and I related with them equally.
How did losing your siblings affect your outlook on life and medicine?
That was a difficult time for me. I lost my younger sister, Olufunmilayo Badero when I was only two years old. She was barely one year old when she passed, so I did not really bond with her. My younger brother, Peter, was my closest sibling. We both attended the same primary school, and he grew up to become a fine gentleman but unfortunately, we lost him to complications of sickle cell disease. In my opinion, he was probably the smartest in the family. He was an exceptional person who gave of himself freely to the people around him. Just before he passed on, he had come to see me on campus and wanted to just be around me. Little did I know that he had come to say his “goodbye”. I still miss him.
What has been the most challenging aspect of your career, and how did you overcome it?
I would say it is the constant roadblocks that never seemed to end. I felt like being alone in the middle of a desert and everywhere I turned, there were walls around me. I eventually realised I was not alone, but God was always with me; just like my name says. He always made a way just like an oasis in an arid land. He wanted me to realise that men can take one close to one’s destiny but only God can take one into it.
You experienced major car accidents while in medical school and residency. How did those life-threatening events influence your resilience and perspective?
Again, that just alludes to the adversity I talked about earlier. They all happened at inflection points. First one happened just after the release of my final year results in medical school, and I was on my way home to inform my parents. The second one occurred just after starting my cardiology training in New York following all the opposition I faced leading up to my admission. I remember my car was hanging on the bridge rails and did not plunge into the sea below. In all, God was merciful and stood by me.
You’ve received numerous awards, including a Congressional award in the US. What do these recognitions mean to you?
I am honoured to have been recognised by the United States government. It is a significant accomplishment to be honoured in a foreign land, arguably by the greatest country in the world. I feel blessed and don’t take those moments for granted. I have also received awards in the United Kingdom and back home. In all, I remain grateful to God.
What has been the most rewarding experience of your career so far?
You know reading life makes one good, and understanding what one reads makes one great, but if one can write the life that others read, one becomes exceptional. Knowledge is powerful and not only gives light but confidence as well. Sitting with other medical colleagues, one has a quiet but subdued confidence because of the fondness of knowledge one has on various specialities. When I evaluate a patient, it is different because I see lots of things that might not be easily obvious due to my extensive training and unique perspective stemming from the different specialities.
I get invitations from pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and NGOs seeking expert opinions on clinical trials— a new drug that is being studied or medical guidelines.
More importantly, though, is making my father’s name more visible in the medical field and around the world because of the history and origin of the name. My last name was my grandfather’s first name which my dad changed to his last name to immortalise a father he never knew. For that name to be known not just around our dinner table at home is a honour I carry with me every day.
What do you see as the biggest medical challenges related to cardio-renal diseases today?
Initially, the challenge was the recognition of the interrelationship between the two, as both organs are inseparable. A problem with one affects the other. Now people are clamouring for a separate cardio-nephrology specialty in the medical world. There are other challenges due to the commonality of the risk factors for each disease. A patient with risk factors for heart disease invariably has risk factors for kidney disease, and taking care of one and not screening for the other can be detrimental to the patient.
For example, most kidney disease patients don’t die from kidney disease but from heart disease, so if a kidney specialist takes care of a kidney disease patient without screening for heart disease, the patient ultimately may die from a condition different from what they are being treated for.
What role do you think telemedicine and emerging healthcare technologies can play in improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria?
Telemedicine is consequential to healthcare as we see it today. I talked about this during my speech at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital recently. The role of Diasporan healthcare workers in eliminating medical tourism cannot be over-emphasised. Telemedicine is one-way Nigerians in Diaspora can engage and give back to the country by consulting remotely and lending their expertise to the local communities. Also, a physician in Lagos can help manage a patient in Kaduna via telemedicine. The impact is enormous.
As someone involved in mentorship, how can Nigeria better support and train its future generations of doctors, particularly in specialised fields such as yours?
They should be guided by the lessons of experience and not the confines of rigid thinking. We all know the genesis of brain drain. It started with medical students. They need to have hopes of a greater tomorrow; the hope of being able to feed their families with well-paying jobs when they graduate.
Providing the necessary infrastructure to practise their craft is also important. However, infrastructure has improved somewhat since I left the country for the US and we now have hospitals in Nigeria that are able to perform cutting-edge procedures that people hitherto travelled outside the country for.
How do you envision your ongoing work with African governments in establishing cardio-renal programmes contributing to the overall healthcare landscape in Nigeria?
It is encouraging as more countries are recognising the importance of cardio-renal centres, which takes care of two of the most prevalent disease conditions around. Lagos State tried to establish one in Gbagada some years ago but unfortunately, it failed. I am hoping the current administration can revive the programme because the infrastructure is still there, and if run properly, can make significant impact in the healthcare of the citizens.
How do you balance your private practice in the US with your international speaking and mentorship engagements?
It is somewhat demanding but I see it as a mission— empowering the next generation, transferring skills and knowledge. When you have a mission, you don’t miss the vision.
What advice would you give young physicians or medical students looking to specialise in emerging fields like cardio-nephrology?
Dream with ambition and lead with conviction. Work hard and don’t give up on yourself. The difference between distinction and destruction is association. Associate yourself with people you can learn from. The best ability is availability. Make yourself available to learn and create opportunities to grow and connect with people that can mentor you. Lastly don’t let success get to your head and more importantly, don’t let failure get to your heart.
Are there any new frontiers in medicine you’re aiming to explore?
There is always something left to do. The job is never finished. I am working on some new projects which will become public soon.
What do you do in your downtime when you’re not practicing medicine or traveling for work?
I write, paint; and discover new places, people and culture.
Some people are of the opinion that medicine and science and faith are always clashing. As an assistant pastor at your church, how does your faith influence your work and daily life?
I think it all depends on one’s belief system. It is not about what one sees but how one sees what one sees; invariably perspective. Everyone has theirs. I believe medicine and faith are related. When one takes a pill for a condition, one has got to have faith that it will work or else one won’t take it. That is faith in science. However, there are some things that happen to us that cannot be explained by science like what time we sleep and what wakes us up from sleep. Spiritual faith is believing in a higher power that science cannot explain. I employ both every day.
How do you maintain balance between your demanding career and personal life?
Time was created before man, so there is ample time for everything one wants to do. It is important to stay balanced so, one can function optimally. I always leave work when I leave the workplace.
What are your hobbies and passion?
I showed someone my painting some time ago and she asked why I did not open a gallery. I love art and the artistry of writing because the fluidity of my kind is iced in the quiet of my thoughts, and art is way of expressing that fluidity to the outside world
What are your favourite places to travel, whether for work or leisure?
Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Beauty, simplicity and the essence of nature meet there. The conviviality of the place is unmistakably refreshing.
Who has been the greatest influence in your life outside of medicine?
My father.
If you weren’t in the medical field, what other career do you think you would have pursued?
That would most likely be engineering.
How do you keep yourself motivated and inspired amidst the challenges of your profession?
My pain is my motivation. A plant cannot grow if it is not planted, and it cannot be planted if it is not connected. So, I stay connected to the source from whom everything, including life, flows. Remember, one can be famous to other people and not famous to God.
What role does fitness or wellness play in your life, given the stress and long hours of being a physician?
Wellness and fitness are paramount to a healthy body and a sound mind. My friend and colleague, Dr Banji Awosika, will tell you that. He is a wellness expert with Iwosan Lagoon Hospital, and he has lots of videos on wellness on social media. I run five miles every week, play tennis and try to watch my calorie intake.
