Meet these Doctors tackling the challenges of minorities in Medicine: Dr. Emeka Okorocha and Dr. Ikenna Ihim
Dr. Emeka Okorocha, went viral on social media and in the newspapers for his quote on his social media accounts “if you celebrate me in my scrubs, don’t hate me in my hoodie”. Dr. Ikenna Ihim also went viral on social media and the newspapers for his compassionate writings on his social media account regarding our current fight against COVID 19 and for his posts which create more awareness and encouragement to black doctors.
They are both currently treating critically ill COVID 19 patients in the hospital, but in different continents. Dr. Emeka lives and practices in Britain, while Dr. Ikenna lives and practices in the U.S.A., however they both face the same challenges as minorities in medicine. Both entities have become embraced by the medical communities and are also now brand ambassadors to several medical apparels and businesses.
Their level of success did not prevent them from recognizing the need to create more awareness for the black community. With their large social media following, they decided to hold a live discussion to get the word out and to encourage and inspire future minority health care providers. Their aim was to inspire young black kids in both continents who have hopes to become physicians, but are not positioned to do so due to their lower socioeconomic status. They also called to caution on the black patients whom are statistically less compliant with regular physician checkups and medication adherence until their chronic health issues become to less manageable.
As descendants of Nigerians, they also gave tips on how foreign medical doctors can transition from their countries into practicing in both U.S.A. and Britain. Lastly, they provided tips on how to overcome what most young black physicians like themselves experience, including the term “you do not look like a doctor”.