Consultant

On being a black , young and female doctor in the UK

Victoria Sampson. You are a black, female, Cambridge educated, award winning doctor, that has completed specialist medical training in a highly competitive area of London and at just 33 years old became one of the youngest Obstetrics & Gynaecology Consultants in the U.K. How did you do it?

That’s a loaded question! A lot of my confidence and drive began in childhood. I was fortunate to have two talented parents that gained full scholarships to come to the U.K. from Ghana to practice dentistry. My parents knew that from being discriminated against themselves black people in the U K had to work harder to achieve the same as their white counterparts I always had that in the back of my mind

Going to Cambridge was never my plan My parents wanted that for me I went to the interview with no expectations which in hindsight helped greatly They announced my name “Victoria Sampson,” expecting a white girl to stand up but the little black girl stood up I’m pretty sure they were shocked, but I went with the flow I was just myself and to be honest, I think that got me a place at Cambridge

The road to becoming a consultant hasn’t been easy Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic but always having the end goal in mind made it possible

Were you intentional about showing up exactly as you were or were you going with the flow?

As Cambridge wasn’t where I wanted to go, I didn’t put any pressure on myself to perform I was also very aware that I wouldn’t be able to keep up an act as someone else for a long time, and medical school is a long time I wanted to be true to myself, be my base self If they didn’t like me then there was no point being there Ultimately, I guess they liked who I was because they gave me an offer

In regards to turning up as your base self, is that advice you would give youngsters applying to high achieving careers? As we know to a degree you have to “play the game.” That depends on what you mean by playing the game There are nonnegotiables You have to work hard

Your grades have to be excellent You have to be presentable You have to be polite That doesn t mean you have to dampen your personality If you want to be successful in any work environment, you have to feel comfortable and valued for who you are It is a balance You have to keep your base self but also meet the criteria

Did your upbringing mould you into the person you are today?

I am inherently very competitive I am also fortunate enough to be naturally gifted and I recognise this as one of my privileges I was a member of Mensa from the age of 5 and learning has always come easily I know that is not the case for everyone I went to my local state school where it wasn’t that hard to be good at school Even if I would mess around in class I would always go home and do that extra bit of work My parents in typical Ghanaian fashion were also a huge part of motivating me

Tell us about your time at Cambridge. Cambridge is a very interesting place. I went to Cambridge in 2007. That was before the Stormzy era, before it was "cool". I found the first 6 months extremely challenging I grew up in Bradford which is very multicultural and relatively poor All of a sudden, I’m surrounded by affluent white people that don’t speak, dress or look like me I chose my college very specifically I went to King’s College which is known to have a high state school cohort, be left-leaning politically and generally more accepting of those outside of the white upper-middle class society That made it easier, but it was still tough Eventually, you find your way You find your place, you find your people

How many black people were there in your medical school?

I was the only black girl out of 350 students and there were a couple of black boys You are initially acutely aware of standing out but as you settle in that fact becomes less obvious

As a young black female doctor have you ever faced difficulties in your career? Firstly from colleagues and then from patients.

Of course From colleagues the biggest challenge has always been being underestimated I’ve always strived to flourish and work hard but that drive was commonly interpreted as being overconfident I could see my white counterparts doing the same thing however they were told they were excelling I found that really difficult and still find that as a consultant today, people underestimate me

Every black female doctor has experienced the same difficulties from patients From being asked when the doctor is coming, patients asking for a second opinion from a white doctor that is 9 years your junior to people thinking you are the nurse or support worker I can’t see that changing any time soon, but I am hopeful the next generation will not have these experiences

How do you keep yourself motivated?

Achievements are a huge motivation for me I set out short-, medium- and long-term goals and try to strategise how I will meet them I am a huge fan of lists, especially ticking off items! Every time I reach a milestone it feels so good but only temporarily, so I am always striving towards the next goal My partner would say I have "chronic dissatisfaction", but I think I’ll know when I can stop I’m not quite there yet!

As a black woman working in obstetrics and gynaecology, do you feel you have a greater interest in providing care for black women, especially knowing the poor maternity outcomes that affect black women?

These statistics about poor maternity outcomes for black women have been around for over 20 years but we only started talking about them in the last few years Today I counsel black women slightly differently because of these statistics I want them to know I can relate to them culturally personally and obstetrically I understand the reservations they have about certain medical interventions I understand that they can be discriminated against and not listened to I think that almost all black women in obstetrics & gynaecology feel the same way especially with the five X more campaign I hope that not only my patients can see themselves in me but that I can be a role model to younger generations choosing a career in obstetrics & gynaecology which will hopefully result in better care for black women

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Delivering a baby No matter how many times I do it, it is still a joyous moment It still brings tears to my eyes

What do you enjoy the least?

My specialist interest is in gynaecology cancers

Therefore, breaking bad news about a cancer diagnosis is always my least favourite part The flip side of that is telling patients they’ve got the "all clear" at their post-operative review It makes it all worth it

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I should probably say that I would have had a child and started a family (if I don’t say that, my husband will kill me!) Career wise, I see myself as an established consultant providing a service of which, I am proud I would also like to go into education and senior leadership roles I currently work within the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Exam committee and want to continue shaping the next generation

What would you say to your 21-year-old self?

Really, medicine, really?? Your friends have already graduated and are earning £50,000 and you are still in medical school! (Laughs)

On a serious note I would say "medicine was definitely the right choice for you You picked the right career Keep going You can do it You can do anything "

Miss Victoria Sampson is a Consultant in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, with a special interest in gynaecology cancers, currently working at a busy London Hospital Upon graduating from the University of Cambridge, she completed her speciality training in a competitive area of London, gaining an award for excellence throughout her training course She currently sits within the RCOG exam committee and hopes to pursue further roles in leadership and education