Student Spotlight: A Bioethicist’s Aspirations of Servitude
Damilola Oduola, University of Cincinnati second-year philosphy PhD student and Presidential Fellow.
Written by Serigne Thiam, Graduate Assistant for the Graduate College
Damilola Oduola, a UC PhD student in philosophy, was initially interested in a law career, but a twist of fate and unexpected medical experience shifted her professional trajectory. Oduola has always been interested in policy and how it impacts the lives of others. Instead of a career spent in courtrooms and hearings, she’s decided to pursue a fulfilling career focusing on public health issues that impact people’s lives, specifically the bioethics in the medical industry. As a member of UC’s Presidential Fellowship Program, Oduola extends her problem-solving and real-world learning beyond the classroom. Oduola researches the pressing issue of medical brain drain in under-developed countries, the causal factors, and potential solutions. In this candid interview, she reflects on her journey, bioethics research, and her aspirations to influence global health policies through her transformative interdisciplinary work.
What inspired your interest in philosophy and bioethics?
Philosophy was not my first choice. I wanted to study law at the University of Madrid (Spain). I didn’t get into Madrid, but then my secondary school principal advised me to study philosophy. Since I had limited funding and just wanted to get into a university, I applied and was accepted to the University of Ibadan (Nigeria). I had to Google ‘What is philosophy,’ when I got to the University of Ibadan because I didn’t know much about it. I tried to transfer to law in my second year, but my transfer was denied. I was studying African philosophy at first but eventually got into bioethics and public health ethics after a health incident.
I fell sick during my master’s studies and went to the hospital. I waited about eight hours before I was seen by a doctor who was visibly exhausted and annoyed. I was very upset by this situation and confronted him about his attitude towards me. He then showed me the piles of case notes that he had been attending to that day. I realized after this event that there is a severe problem in the healthcare industry. I wanted to do something that could make a difference in people's lives; I figured a person's health is the most fundamentally benevolent thing you can do for others. I shifted my studies to bioethics and public health ethics and never looked back.
Damilola Oduola after presenting at the Lagos Studies Association 2023 Conference at the University of Lagos in Nigeria.
Can you tell us more about your research on medical brain drain and how it impacts health systems in Africa?
Medical brain drain is the emigration of health workers from low-income, underdeveloped countries to high income countries in search of a better salary and higher quality of living. Recently, there have been a multitude of health professionals leaving countries like Nigeria for more attractive locations like the UK, United States, Canada, and Australia. The biggest causal factor for this migration is poor remuneration and that many of these countries are torn with social and political strife. Health professionals don’t feel safe or compensated. The effect of these mass migrations is obvious because when health workers leave, citizens cannot access adequate healthcare, which leads to poor health outcomes. As health workers migrate, pressure befalls on the medical professionals left behind, who also want to emigrate, continuing the cycle
What are some medical brain drain solutions you’ve discovered in your research?
One potential solution lies with compulsory service periods following government-subsidized education. There are some implications to consider, as anyone, regardless of profession, has the right to emigrate to wherever they choose, so there’s that dilemma. There’s also the potential that many healthcare workers will be unmotivated. I recently interviewed a medical professional who expressed to me ‘You don’t want to see your doctor hungry or behind on rent.’
I don't want to think about doctors being forced to stay in a country that they don't want to live in; I think that is counterproductive. Another viable solution I'm researching is implementing tax programs so these countries can have some kind of return on the money they’ve invested in medical education. I’ve also seen some promising potential in government incentives that will address the factors that are alienating healthcare professionals away from their countries.
Damilola Oduola delivering her 'Health workers Exodus: A Clash of Rights' TED Talk during the Brilliant Bearcat Presidential Fellowship TED Talk event.
Can you share what being a Presidential Fellow means to you and how it has impacted your professional and academic aspirations?
I see being a Presidential Fellow as a privilege. When I applied to UC, I expressed my interest in interdisciplinary research, particularly in public health policies and bioethics. Luckily for me, my graduate director reached out and felt I'd be a great fit for the Graduate College fellowship program, and I was fortunate to be selected.
The Presidential Fellowship has really transformed my research. The program connects fellows that are really interested in bridging academia, industry, and communities together. Last year, we formed a research partnership with Ethicon, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson that produces medical surgical devices. We discussed alternative uses of animals in research and how their involvement can be reduced and explored in real-world application of research. I really loved the exposure and opportunity to see how innovative research can be implemented. The academic exposure has been invaluable, and I am grateful for the opportunities the Presidential Fellowship provides.
What are your long-term aspirations for your work in bioethics? How do you envision your contributions to a changing global health society in regard to policy?
I aspire to be a professor of bioethics and serve on a government ethics committee. Policymakers are experts in law and politics, but they aren’t very adept when it comes to the ethics of the policies they’re implementing. I feel as though they ought to involve more expert testimony, and I would want to provide informed guidance to creating policies that positively impact people's lives.
I want my research to help resolve the challenge of medical brain training in Africa and help manage the push and pull factors responsible for healthcare migration. I feel if a country’s government can enact policies that encourage health workers to remain in their home countries, we can resolve medical brain drain and achieve better health outcomes and global health justice. I’m not looking to change the world, but if my efforts can help a couple people live better lives, I’d be immensely proud of that.