Radiologist charts path in the lab

Dr.Bwombuna at Scanlab Diagnostic Centre. The facility is among the few in Nakuru that specialise in cancer screening and other radiological procedures.  [PHOTO: MAUREEN AKINYI/STANDARD]

Dr Brian Bwombuna, 32, a consultant radiologist quit a well-paying job to start his own diagnostic lab — Scanlab Diagnostic Centre, with state of the art technology. It has been a rocky path transitioning successfully from comfortable employment to uncharted territory. He shares his journey with Maureen Akinyi

Tell us briefly about yourself.

I am the consultant radiologist at Scanlab Diagnostic Centre. This is a dream come true. I quit a well-paying job and dived into unknown waters. I am glad it is paying off.

Give us a short background on your education.

I did my undergraduate degree in Medicine, at the University of Nairobi. Thereafter, I did my post-graduate degree in radiology at the Aga Khan University. I am also a fellow with the Royal College of Radiologists, UK.

Why did you choose to study Medicine and further specialise in Radiology?

I stumbled into Radiology by chance. I had always wanted to do Surgery. However, following internship, I realised that Surgery was not for me. It was while working for a research organisation (during my free time) that I developed a liking for Radiology while visiting online radiology sites. I found it fascinating and intriguing. I, thereafter, decided to apply for a few post-graduate Radiology programmes and was lucky to join the one at the Aga Khan University.

Most medics work as general doctors for a while before specialising. Why did you choose to specialise at a young age?

The system of education that we have in the country does not have enough post-graduate spaces for the doctors who would want to pursue post-graduate training. As a result, one is forced to work for several years as they wait for an opening. In some fields, this period helps but in some, it does not. I was lucky to enter the post-graduate programme immediately after clearing my internship and having worked for only a few months.

What has been your career path since completing your education?

I have worked for Aga Khan Hospital in Dar-es-Salaam and Medanta Africare in Nairobi, before going fully into private practice.

Why did you decide to venture out on your own?

I wanted job satisfaction. I realised job satisfaction would never be there if one has an entrepreneurial mind set while employed. There will always be a void. I felt that for me to offer my services at its best, I had to come up with a centre that embodies that desire.

Was it hard actualising your dream?

It definitely was. I mean giving up comfortable employment and going into uncharted territory is scary. No amount of preparation would have ever made me ready for the task at hand. Self-employment is not for the faint-hearted. It takes courage but most of all, one has to believe in the product or service that they are providing to the public, and take a day at a time.

How is the experience so far?

It’s fascinating and enjoyable. However, it has its challenging moments when one has to beat deadlines, work overtime or at night, sit for exams or deliver sad news to a patient or their relatives.

Tell us more about Scanlab.

Scanlab Diagnostic Centre offers radiology diagnostic services (X-rays, ultrasound, CT scan and mammography). We also offer interventional radiological procedures such as image guided biopsies and drainage procedures. Most importantly, we endeavour to engage the public in health sensitisation as our corporate social responsibility. We engage the local community in forums to educate them on topical health issues like cancer prevention and screening. The lab is located on Kenyatta Avenue, in Nakuru.

Most specialists prefer to be located in the capital city. Why did you choose Nakuru?

A few years ago, I worked here as an intern and as a medical officer in a Government facility. During that time, I got to like the town and got to know most clinicians in the area.

The town is vibrant, rapidly expanding in terms of infrastructure and the general population. But looking at the radiology facilities in town, they have not been increasing in tandem. Because of this, there was need for investment in this field in Nakuru to support the clinicians.

Setting up such a centre is expensive. As a relatively young person, how did you pull this off?

As I mentioned previously, one requires passion for what they do. With that, half the job is done. The rest entails building lasting financial relationship with the suppliers, professional colleagues and financial institutions. It is not as easy as it sounds though.

How would you rate your facility now?

It is not easy to tell, but from the feedback we have received from our clients and professional colleagues, it is encouraging and humbling.

We can only improve on it. At ScanLab, our motto is ‘In matters of health, quality is our wealth’. This is something we hope to attain with each and every client.

How do you ensure you are on top of your game?

By investing heavily in human resource, which means getting and retaining qualified personnel as well as continuous professional development of personnel. In addition, continuous investment in up to date medical equipment and software to ensure we remain competitive. Response from our clients is the best gauge we have on whether we are relevant or not. We strive to improve on the quality that we give our clients everyday.

How would you compare running your own clinic and being employed?

There are a myriad fascinating challenges. One becomes alive to most things around them that normally if one is employed, they would not pay much attention to.

We are keen on client satisfaction after we attend to them, and we are always looking for ways and means to improve our quality of service.

What do you love most about running your own business?

It is simply satisfying because I am doing something that I believe in and love. In addition, it is humbling to realise that we are having a positive impact in the lives of our clients.

What advice do you have for young people who desire to set up their own businesses?

You have to believe in the product or service you are selling. Capital is not everything.

How do you find Nakuru?

It as a nicely toned down version of Nairobi, without the jams and pressures of life. In addition, it is relatively well organised.