Nnaemeka: I am very motivated to contribute to a more equitable society on every front, especially through healthcare delivery
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.
His interest in health equity and global health is unsurprising given his background. Nwoke spent a significant amount of time in Nigerian medical clinics growing up, due to repeated episodes of malaria and asthma.
“I learned at a very young age that being healthy is not just about the absence of disease; it is the foundation for all of life’s pursuits,” he said.
While he was fortunate to have access to healthcare, Nwoke saw many others in his country who, due to lack of money, knowledge, or infrastructure, could not access the treatment they needed. While away from home at boarding school, he experienced the personal tragedy of losing his brother to acute myeloid leukemia.
“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 has packed a lot of learning and extracurricular activities into his first two years at the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, including research in neurosurgery and hematology, working as a teaching assistant for the gross anatomy course, completing the school’s Anatomy, Ultrasound, and Medical Education fellowship, tutoring first-year medical students and serving as a peer advisor for first-year students.
“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.”