Studying abroad in 1962 – Rodney's story in Nigeria

In 1962, final year medical student Rodney undertook a work placement in Lagos, Nigeria. Almost 63 years later, he recounts his life-changing experience of travelling abroad and urges current students to make the most of Go Global opportunities during their time at University.

If you get inspired by Rodney’s story, there are a variety of global opportunities to study, work, research or volunteer abroad, ranging from 2 weeks to a full academic year - from summer schools in South Korea, internships in Kenya, and Year and Semester Abroad across the world. Visit the Go Global Fair on Thursday 23rd October in the Great Hall, Aston Webb (10-4pm). 

In 1962, when I was in my final year at Birmingham Medical School, I was fortunate enough to be awarded a Nuffield Foundation Travelling Scholarship in Tropical Medicine. Together, with another Birmingham awardee, I spent three months based at Ibadan Medical School in Nigeria.

Our plane to Lagos arrived late and we missed the connecting flight but were able to continue the journey to Ibadan in a university minibus. We travelled through mangrove swamps, rainforests and small villages with buildings very different from those in Europe. On our arrival, we were given a very warm welcome from everyone. We quickly settled into our rooms in the student’s hall of residence, although it took a bit of getting used to the geckos staring down at us from the walls and the never-ending Highlife tunes that were played at maximum volume until the early hours of the morning. The first few days were spent settling in as there was so much to see and explore in a culture and way of life that was so different to Birmingham.

We began our studies in the Department of Medicine and quickly learned that infectious diseases were the predominant afflictions we would see. To witness medicine being practised in a teaching hospital, government hospitals, mission hospitals, leprosy settlements and many small dispensaries challenged my whole understanding of medicine. The facilities and support that I was so used to in the UK were virtually non-existent and I quickly learned the importance of using whatever was available to provide the best treatment for the patients.

The trip was certainly the icing on the cake of my undergraduate medical training and it showed me how the practise of my chosen career could be undertaken in so many different ways.

I hadn’t previously travelled abroad, so the experience widened my horizons considerably and in so many ways. I was fully accepted as a medical student in Nigeria, joining in many social activities on the hospital campus, and I was also able to visit many different parts of the country. The whole trip taught me to accept opportunities when they arise, treat everyone as a person and be prepared to learn from everyone you meet.

Perhaps the best example of how the world can be viewed in many different lenses was when all the local and national news followed a world boxing match in which ‘Tiger’ a Nigerian, became the champion. It was not until we had letters from home that we learnt that the ‘world’ news was concerned with American-Russian Cuban nuclear missile crisis. A lesson in putting things into perspective!

The tuition at Birmingham Medical School gave me a firm foundation for my future career, but the Nigerian trip taught me to apply the knowledge with an open mind and to think outside the box. As a result of the trip, my career developed in an unexpected way, as the interest in infection that was kindled for me in Nigeria developed into me becoming a medical microbiologist, and I hope, has also made me a more caring doctor and teacher. The trip was certainly the icing on the cake of my undergraduate medical training, and it showed me how the practise of my chosen career could be undertaken in so many different ways.

Go for it, the opportunity may not come again. As individuals, we are but a small part of a large world that has many different needs. As students at UoB we are very privileged and there are always opportunities to use and develop our knowledge and skills, especially if we Go Global.

For more exciting stories, follow @myglobalstory. Kickstart your global journey by contacting goglobal@contacts.bham.ac.uk to find out more.