Member Spotlight: Chisom Okuagu, DO

What drew you to a career in medicine and, more specifically, family medicine?

"Honestly, I credit the exposure to medicine to both of my parents, Nigerian immigrants that now have careers in healthcare, my mom a nurse and my father a pharmacist. Fortunately, I actually enjoyed my science courses in school so the dream became less far-fetched. As I got older, I saw loved ones experience health challenges both here in the states, as well as in Nigeria, that were ultimately the results of lapses in health care. It was through these experiences that cemented the importance of quality primary care for me. As I advanced through my medical education, my family medicine rotation and incredible preceptor Dr. Russ Kennedy truly showed me how family medicine was boundless and can be so impactful to patients."

Prior to medical school, you served as a special education teacher in New Orleans through AmeriCorps' Teach for America program. How has that experience shaped your perspective and philosophy on the practice of medicine?

"I love this question. My experience with Teach for America has undoubtedly shaped the way I have moved throughout the world since that experience.

Honestly, my exposure to individuals in the disabled community was limited prior to teaching my students. Not to mention the naivety that is coming into the classroom as a 21 year old college graduate, serving as a team lead for several paraprofessionals/teaching assistants with several more years of teaching experience, and developing lesson plans for students with a variety of disabilities, all in the same classroom.

To this day, I would still say it was one of the hardest things I've ever done. It was also the most impactful. There was a humility that was crucial to being successful in that setting, because while you're serving as a leader in the classroom, you are also taking a backseat to truly and meaningfully observe the various dynamics in the classroom. It was in the listening and observing that I learned the most about what my students and paras needed in order to be successful both in the classroom, and in their communities. This is a philosophy I still practice when I see my patients and has helped me provide excellent care that helps me meet them where they are at."

As a primary care specialist interested in serving rural communities, you are entering into the practice of medicine at a pivotal time. What do you see as crucial steps towards addressing the primary care shortage in the next decade?

"I think it comes in the exposure. There have been a number of developments made to increase teaching health centers in rural communities across the state and I hope these efforts continue nationwide. I would also urge medical schools to be intentional about incorporating all primary care core rotations into their clinical curriculum, especially family medicine. I've found that FM is a core rotation that tends to get excluded in medical school, especially in programs in the northeastern United States. This absence translates to decreased exposure to the specialty and perpetuates the shortage. These are just a couple of ideas that come to mind."

What prompted you to become involved in organized medicine?

"During my 3rd year of medical school, my pediatrics attending invited me to an advocacy day for the American Academy of Pediatrics in Jefferson City, MO. After attending, I was immediately hooked. Joining like-minded individuals to advocate for our most vulnerable populations while providing medical education to the legislators that make the decisions that impact us in the clinical setting was all I needed to know that I wanted to integrate advocacy into my career permanently."