Dr Philemon E Okoro

Scholarship: 2010 Hugh Greenwood Travelling Scholarship

Placements:

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London with Mr Edward Kelly

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS with Mr Thomas Tsang

Current Position: Senior Lecturer and Consultant Paediatric Surgeon, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Biography:

I obtained my basic medical degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria in 1996. In 2006, I also obtained the Fellowship of the West African College of Surgeons in Paediatric Surgery. I then got a placement at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Nigeria in 2006. In 2008, I secured an employment with the University of Port Harcourt and University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital as a lecturer 1 and a consultant Paediatric surgeon. In 2010, I was given the Hugh Green scholarship of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons. In 2011, I was promoted to a Senior Lecturer.

The BAPS Hugh Greenwood Fellowship help me in so many ways. My exposure to the practice of paediatric surgery in two centres in the UK enhanced my skills in various surgical techniques particularly hypospadias surgery, cleft repairs, minimal access surgery and use of parenteral nutrition support. Following the fellowship I was able to commence paediatric minimally invasive surgery in my centre. This benefitted my patients as they were able to obtain those services for which they previously needed to travel far distances. Improved results of surgical correction of hypospadias and bladder exstrophy also saved my patients from much of the morbidities previously seen with the attempts at surgical correction of those conditions. The exposure I had with the fellowship also boosted my confidence in teaching and training of students and trainee surgeons. I also became better equipped with the conceptualization and execution of research projects. My promotion to senior lecturer was significantly contributed to directly and indirectly by the BAPS fellowship.

I remain grateful to the BAPS for this fellowship through which they have opened opportunities for young paediatric surgeons and offered tremendous help to children in other parts of the world.