Growing up in Ghana, Osborn Owusu Ansah enjoyed helping at his grandfather’s local medical clinic. His grandfather was the first male nurse he ever saw, a rare occurrence in Ghana at the time, and the lessons he learned at the clinic inspired him to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.  

“He taught me the importance of providing care and helping people in times of their need, and I have never looked back since that experience,” said Ansah.  

Now a Ph.D. student at the DUSON, Ansah is studying oncology and disparities in the use of palliative care. His passion for the research stems from the high mortality rates of cancer in sub-Saharan Africa and the low number of opportunities for incorporating palliative care into the healthcare system.  

He hopes to discover and develop cost-effective interventions that can enhance symptom management and the well being of people battling cancer. 

“DUSON was my first option when I decided to pursue my Ph.D. in Nursing, mostly because of the prestige of the school,” Ansah said. “I was initially skeptical about applying because I felt I wasn’t good enough to gain admission into such a prestigious school, but my initial conversations with some of the professors in the school changed my mind. The availability of the funding also provided an added incentive especially for an international student.” 

Ansah graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and has gained significant nursing experience in different healthcare settings in Ghana and the United Kingdom. 

After graduating from Duke, he plans to apply for a post-doctoral position at Duke or another university and eventually enter a tenure track to become a professor in nursing. His goal is to continue his research in addressing disparities in the use of palliative care in Ghana and Africa as a whole. 

“Duke has been exciting so far,” Ansah said. “The professors and the school have exceeded my initial expectations, and I am enjoying myself.