Dr Anna Kusi is an Obstetrics and Gynaecology doctor based in London, and one of the founders of Black Female Doctors UK – an initiative designed to empower, support and connect black female doctors and medical students across the UK. To fulfil this aim she has set up the Instagram page blackfemalefrs.uk, showcasing black female doctors and medical students and their achievements, and will be launching a mentorship scheme in the new year.
We asked Dr Kusi some questions about founding the scheme and her own experiences as a black female doctor, and this is what she said:
Please could you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey into medicine?
I am an Obstetrics and Gynaecology Registrar in South London, a mother of two and founder of Black Female Doctors UK (BFDUK). I earned my medical degree from the University of Bristol. I have always been passionate about women’s health and empowerment, which led to my career choice.
I am also passionate about education and creating opportunities for others to follow their dreams. Thus, I have engaged in several teaching activities outside my usual clinical teaching engagements such as teaching local church youth and women’s groups and children in deprived areas in Bristol as well as coaching aspiring medical students.
My journey into medical school ended up being quite straight forward even though I encountered several naysayers and discouragements from my educators. Having a supportive family and the realisation of perseverance fuelled my drive to achieve my dreams.
2. What motivated you to start BFDUK?
Throughout medical school, I found my journey quite isolating, as there was an immense underrepresentation of Black medical students and doctors. This led to difficulties in finding Black female doctors as mentors. Over the years, I noted that, Black people continue to be significantly misrepresented and underrepresented in medicine, dentistry, and STEM.
According to the NHS workforce document published in 2021, only 5.2% of the NHS medical workforce are Black so one can only imagine what percentage represents Black women. Black women doctors in healthcare are sadly at the bottom of the pay scale. We are paid significantly lower than other ethnic groups and Black male doctors.
Ethnic minority medical graduates in the UK have worse outcomes during recruitment for foundation, specialty training, and consultant posts. We are more likely to fail post graduate examinations, and progress more slowly through training irrespective of confounding factors such as attending top medical schools. I also grew tired of the health inequalities faced by the Black community.
With all these in mind, I felt the need to start BFDUK to showcase Black female doctors in a positive light in order to increase representation and to inspire others to follow suit; to work towards changing the concept of differential attainment; to implement better working environments, to improve our opportunities and to ensure equal treatment for all irrespective of race or gender.
Starting BFDUK was also to allow professional camaraderie where we can collectively support each other as we strive to achieve excellence and inevitably change the narrative for all and thus impact positively on our community.
3. What do you think are the challenges posed by not just being a female doctor, but also being black/afro-Caribbean?
I believe women occupy a crucial part in any societal development which means that any change in society can start with us irrespective of race. Over the years, representation of women in medical schools has increased greatly however, we still face unfair treatments and inequalities such as underpayment and underrepresentation in higher ranks of leadership roles in the NHS.
Black women doctors occupy a unique space of double minority. We experience overt racism from patients and our various institutions. We also experience stereotypical notions about the appropriateness of our hairstyles, we are called outside our roles and disregarded by our colleagues sometimes due to our accents. Black females are sometimes wrongfully profiled as aggressive thus there is an innate need to constantly over-police our behaviours to fit the status quo due to fear of being labelled as angry, aggressive, or problematic. This inevitably prevents us from challenging inappropriate behaviours and unfair treatments we encounter in our various institutions. We sometimes over-scrutinise ourselves to maintain a high standard bearing in mind the implications of being more likely to be subjected to disciplinary actions by the GMC if we fall short. One can only imagine how stressful and demoralising this can be, and we deal with this regularly.
4. BFDUK is a fantastic resource for black female medical students and doctors to see others who look like them in trailblazing roles and at the head of their fields. Did you/do you have any mentors who support you?
Unfortunately, throughout medical school and foundation years, I didn’t have any mentors. This was also one of the motives behind starting this group. Black women consultants are still hugely underrepresented in my current field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology hence it’s been difficult to have a Black female mentor matched to my educational and training needs at present.
5. How can students get involved with BFDUK?
Medical students are the future and BFDUK would like to change the narrative for them to have a better experience and be more successful. Students can join this community, sign up to the mentorship scheme, take up a committee role and help us in our quest to change the narrative for all. Together we can make an everlasting and impacting change.
Follow BFDUK on Instagram: blackfemaledrs.uk
Sign up to become part of their network: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp_UWkl9E5TVR85kMl33Q0dMGuwb0U0-rFdSqYdEv9uGfoag/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0
Follow Anna on Instagram: thegrateful.medic
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