Nnaemeka Chukwudalu Nwoke

By his own estimation, Nnaemeka Chukwudalu Nwoke, MD’27, is not one to complain.

“I’m a very ‘show up, figure out what I need to do, and execute at a high level’ type of person,” he said.

Nwoke came to the U.S. from Nigeria by himself at 17 to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. Early academic success at the University of South Florida was tempered by his failure to gain admission into medical school on his first try. After four years of working in various medical positions, Nwoke was accepted into all 12 medical schools he interviewed with, including the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine in 2023.

“I’m thankful that I didn’t get in the first time because it allowed me to grow in ways I could not have imagined,” Nwoke said.

Due to repeated episodes of malaria and asthma, Nwoke spent a significant amount of time in Nigerian medical clinics as a child, and he experienced firsthand the disparities in health care in his native country.

“I am very motivated to contribute to a more equitable society on every front, especially through healthcare delivery,” he said. “While I am interested in surgery, I plan to be heavily involved in global health work throughout my career.”

Nwoke packed a lot of learning and extracurricular activities into his first two years in medical school, doing research, tutoring, working as a teaching assistant and completing a fellowship.

“I’ve learned so much about the human body, as well as the social, structural, and cultural factors that shape the health of the patients we serve, which is, of course, what makes the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine so special,” Nwoke said. “Words simply cannot express how grateful I am for the opportunity to be here. There is simply nowhere else I’d rather be.”