Student Doctor Chukwuma Iwuoha (Tim) is a fourth-year student at the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, and he is this year’s recipient of the Historically Underrepresented Groups in Medicine Scholarship.
Jeanne Rupert DO PhD, Assistant Dean for Clinical Education, had this to say about Chukwuma, “Tim is someone with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest and is very likely to practice here in the future. He presents as a quiet and unassuming person, yet has a number of strengths. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to his community and to advocating for others.
“He holds a leadership position in the Student National Medical Association, which supports current and future underrepresented minority medical students and is devoted to addressing the needs of underserved communities. His preceptors on clinical rotations describe him as diligent, dedicated, and professional, and someone who puts patients at ease.
“I have observed that Tim is someone we can always count on to be present and participate in group discussions. He made the effort to attend DO Day in Olympia, in spite of being on a busy clinical rotation. He has impressed me as someone I’d be delighted to have taking care of me or a family member in the future”.
Tim talked to us about his goals for the future, “As an African American male, whenever I speak with a patient who looks like me, I instantly notice their sense of comfort and security. Providing a safe space and putting my patients’ minds at ease fuels my motivation to pursue a career as a physician. Not only do I believe they are more willing to share, but this depth of information and openness enables me to provide them with the best healthcare possible.
“I have demonstrated my commitment to mentorship and service over the last few years, especially to those from diverse and underserved backgrounds. I have served in leadership positions in organizations such as the Minority Association of Pre-health Students (MAPS) during my undergrad and Student National Medical Association (SNMA) as a medical student. These organizations strive to support the needs of current and future underrepresented minority medical students, address the needs of underserved communities, and increase the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent, and socially conscious physicians. When I was the PNWU SNMA chapter president during the 2021-2022 academic calendar year, our club collaborated with the PNWU Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) chapter to host journal club discussions open to the public. We addressed articles about racial and ethnic health disparities and how patients from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine have a greater chance of experiencing a poorer overall health outcome than patients from other backgrounds. We also discussed the importance of increasing diversity and cultural competency within medicine to increase positive healthcare outcomes for patients that are considered underrepresented.
“I say all of this to say that over time I have been able to receive education on the impact of racial and ethnic healthcare disparities on the quality-of-care patients receive and their overall clinical outcomes. I have also seen the effects of my presence on a patient’s well-being, their appreciation for hopefulness for the care they will receive, and the positive healthcare outcome that results from that. I plan to use my identity and power as a physician to allow patients who have faced racial and ethnic health disparities to make sure they feel as if their voices are heard, given that they may not have had this feeling in the past. I also plan to make sure that patients are fully aware of their health situation and can play an active role in the healthcare they will receive”.
Tim, the Foundation knows you will be an outstanding advocate, and we very much look forward to seeing where your career takes you. Job well done.