I have had many achievements in my career here in Denmark but the greatest of them all is being able to work in the hospital again as a young doctor. This might not sound like a big deal but as a medical doctor from the Global South, I can categorically tell you that it hasn’t been the easiest journey. Those who have walked the path to having a Danish medical licence would relate to this.

There are 6 steps and each of these steps is not something that can be done in a day. I started Step 0 in 2017 and it involved sending the necessary documents to a verification body called EPIC (Electronic Portfolio for International Credential). It took me almost a year to get all the necessary documents sent from my university to this body. In 2018, EPIC confirmed that my degree was authentic and sent it to the Danish Patient Safety Authority. I got a confirmation of my complete application from the Danish Patient Safety Authority in 2019. Step 1 is getting my application approved by the Danish Patient Safety Authority that it meets the Danish standard of training medical doctors. This process took 33 months after this authority confirmed that they had received my application! I spent three years sitting and waiting, waiting, and finally got approved in June 2022. Learning the Danish language is Step 3. Fortunately, I started learning Danish before my approval and while I was waiting. In 2023, I proceeded with Step 4 in which I prepared for and wrote 3 medical exams that I passed on the first attempt. Step 5 entailed 2 internships each 6 months duration at a Danish hospital. These internships had to be found by myself. I searched for 9 months sending almost 300 unsolicited applications through my networks from LinkedIn and Facebook. I did unpaid internships in some departments just to showcase my skills and expertise yet to no avail. Finally got an offer through one of my networks. So, I am super proud of myself for having gotten my authorization process and now have a promising medical career ahead of me.

The challenges have been numerous, but the biggest challenge was dealing with my mental health. I almost got depressed but survived thanks to my strong support system.

My husband has been the key contributor to my success. He created a convenient space for me to expand. A safe space for me to vent all my frustrations and he helped me to build a very positive mindset. He always reminds me of where we come from and a cliché we always say in French “impossible n’est pas camerounais”, which can be simply translated as “there is nothing impossible for a Cameroonian. We simply don’t quit; we get what we want because success is our birthright”. Another contributing factor has been the safe space provided by ProWoc. I was inspired and motivated by the journeys/stories of other ProWoc members and that kept me going. I knew that I was not alone. Others before me have struggled and made it, and so could I.

I am motivated to regain my identity, the identity I had before moving to Denmark. Many people of colour have been forced to shrink themselves to accept other identities because the journey is difficult. Or they simply cannot find their path in this society. As a WoC, I have and am still experiencing bias and prejudice from people who think we are less, but I have refused to shrink myself. I will keep moving until I reach the sky. Some people who meant well, advised me to move out of clinical practice and work at a pharmaceutical company or be a SoSu assistant instead. But my passion is with people. I do not want to give up without trying, even if it is difficult.

I have had a lot of advice during my career journey which has contributed to what I am today, so I can’t really pinpoint the best of them. However, one advice I got from someone (a female doctor who was the head of a department at RigsHospital) was a turning point for me. I had applied for many internships without any success. On one of my lowest days, I happened to speak to her, and she said, “we never give up”. Of course, this was not the first time I heard this statement, but it hit differently that day because it reflected that this person was empathic and at the same time telling me that I was not alone in this, and that, together, we will overcome. I am the product of a TRIBE of people who have been supporting and giving me advice over the years.
Knowing what I know now, the advice I would give myself at the beginning of my career is as follows:

“No matter what happens, you can still be who you want to be. Always make lemonade with the lemons you meet along the way. Success is your birthright and consistency is what transforms average to excellence.”