EPS9 Female Black Doctors & Advice from a Doctor on Menopause with Dr Anna Kusi

Welcome to the first episode of Power in Diversity with Dr Omo Akoje Okonkwo, this podcast is a space where professional women from diverse backgrounds, eager to grow as leaders, come to be inspired and gain wisdom from other leaders. As a great introduction to the podcast we have a fantastic guest, Dr Anna Kusi on the show. Anna is a medical doctor with a background in obstetrics and gynaecology and is the founder of Black Female Doctors UK with the aim of uniting black female doctors to support each other in their careers. KEY TAKEAWAYS Black women and women from ethnic minority groups reach menopause on average eight months earlier than other races. We also tend to have more symptoms and more severe symptoms that last longer. This can lead to more health implications and more research needs to be done. We can get menopause ready by generally staying fit, that means eating healthily, getting regular exercise, and not smoking. When your body stops producing as much oestrogen, we need to make sure our bodies are in the best state possible to deal with that change. Perimenopausal symptoms include Irregular periods. Hot flashes and sleep problems. Mood changes. Vaginal and bladder problems. Vaginal dryness. Decreasing fertility. Changes in sexual function. Loss of bone. And changing cholesterol levels. You may have all or none of these symptoms. Anna has experienced a lack of diversity while studying to be a doctor in Bristol, there was a lack of black women doctors for her to look up to and gain inspiration from. This lack of diversity did sometimes give her a feeling of being ‘other’ like she didn’t belong. Some people even thought she was a foreign student despite growing up in Peckham. At the time it was very isolating for Anna but now she says that she works with a much more diverse group of doctors. BEST MOMENTS ‘We forget that the menopause can affect any woman at any age’ ‘We need to be menopause ready and do it like a real boss lady’ ‘With the lack of diversity, you can feel the imposter syndrome’ EPISODE RESOURCES Black Female Doctors UK (@blackfemaledrs.uk) • Instagram photos and videos Dr Anna Kusi on LinkedIn ABOUT THE GUEST Dr Anna Kusi is a medical doctor with a background in obstetrics and gynaecology and is the founder of Black Female Doctors UK with the aim of uniting black female doctors to support each other in their careers. She’s also a mum of two and a strong advocate of post reproductive health for women. PODCAST DESCRIPTION Power in Diversity Podcast is a space where professional women from diverse backgrounds, eager to grow as leaders, come to be inspired and gain wisdom from other leaders. As my guests share their journey, I hope that it will give you; an aspiring or established female leader; meaning to your journey, illuminating your path and equipping you with a greater understanding of how to carve and navigate your success pathway with greater ease. Power in Diversity Podcast is also designed to equip not only individuals but, crucially, organisations who must learn to create diverse and inclusive organisations practically and not merely as a tick box exercise; especially now in this ever-changing world, everyone’s diverse insight is vital to solving world issues. I hope that this podcast allows organisations to appreciate the real barriers female and ethnic minority groups face in stepping into leadership, barriers sadly I and many others have faced, and many continue to face. I’m proud to be British and proud of my African Heritage, my tribe, part of the Benin Empire. I feel blessed to be a woman. This is a non-judgmental space, but a space to learn and to become aware of the gifts and Power in Diversity. ABOUT THE HOST Dr Omo Akoje Okonkwo is a practising Cosmetic Dental Surgeon working in Private Clinics in Surrey. Her passion for empowering her patients and team led her to Transformational coaching to bring about significant change in others. Her many skill sets and ability to motivate people quickly opened leadership roles for her, including Director of Health care Projects and Clinical Lead and Senior Tutor at the prestigious King College Dental Hospital. Along her journey, she faced numerous setbacks despite her passion, academic background and experience. Notwithstanding, her passion for excellence and growth led her to embark on an MBA at the Renowned Warwick Business School. Her desire to empower women steered her to conduct qualitative research exploring Gender, Leadership, and Identity. Her findings revealed what she had always sensed, the leadership labyrinth for female and ethnic minority leaders that exists. It is now Dr Omo’s mission to educate and equip individuals, organisations, and countries on the necessity, mindset, and steps to create inclusion at all levels of society. CONTACT METHOD IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.omo_uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-omo-okonkwo-65b8a542/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/omo.okonkwo