On knowledge transfer
When I was home few days ago, my mum told me about how some of my dad’s patients have been left in a state of uncertainty in his absence. One even inquired in desperation if mum herself knows how to make some of his numerous medicinal concoctions.
Let me explain: my dad wasn’t just an epidemiologist, but over the years, became somewhat of an herbalist. He strongly believed in the utilization of pharmaceuticals in addition to natural boosters. He was an expert in tropical diseases. Ask anyone of his patients who came from as far as Lagos to Bauchi, Nigeria.
If it could be cured, he would be the one to get down to the bottom of it. He would insist on every test to be run, and interrogate till the matter was settled. He wasn’t the most technologically literate. But he would come home and pore through his old medical books (most of them- those old faithful ones written in Russian) to aid in his diagnoses. Hours were spent sitting on our veranda mixing creams, potions and lotions. I remember him stewing and boiling some tonics, when we were kids.
Every ounce of expertise was distilled into intense concentration for each case being attended to. This was one of the reasons his reputation remained, and remains steadfast. His patients trusted wholeheartedly that in this doctor’s hands they were getting all the dedication that he could give.
I will never claim that he is irreplaceable, because that goes against the medical ethos which he devoted his life to. The medical practice, which I am not a part of but have witnessed for most of my life, involves building upon the practices of those that have come before- all in a bid to improve speed of diagnosis, ease of therapy, and improvement of prognosis.
It occurs to me that daddy could have made a brilliant lecturer. He would have fallen in the absolute middle of Dr. Gregory House and Dr. Gilbert Grissom.
So hearing my mum speak about his patients, I wish that he had indeed been involved in passing on his knowledge. I honestly don’t know if it ever occurred to him to do so.
This makes me think of the importance of knowledge transfer to ensure that precious time isn’t wasted ‘reinventing the wheel.’ Rather, just keeping things moving. In the long run, more will be achieved in a smaller amount of time. Efficiency will be increased.
If you can, please gather mentees around you in some form. Maybe you already have some online and you just don’t know it. But they watch you. Hungrily lapping up all the good you have to teach them. My request is that you think about what you can teach (because even if you don’t believe it, you DO have plenty to offer) then strategize on how to pass it across.
I’ve seen this same principle spoken of recently in different ways by Gossy Ukanwoke, Oluwatosin Olaseinde, Sifushka, Victor Asemota and through many posts in the Silicon Africa group. I’ve also seen it in action on medium in the collaborations Tremaine L. Loadholt takes part in with her medium mentees.
I imagine what it would be like if some young blood doctors were currently in possession of the knowledge dad had. If they had been privy to his methods and concoctions. If using these, they could have made improvements, and further passed it on. If they could have stepped in to help that patient who sought mum’s help for the lotion that only her late doctor could concoct.
The importance of transferring knowledge, not just in the classroom setting, cannot be over-emphasized. It’s about making sure that the things that live and thrive within your mind which you know can help humanity, get passed along to those who can absorb it and run with it. You become part of the circle of the wisdom of the ages, literally.
