Name:Dikachi Osaji Hometown:Dallas, Texas Year in Medical School:MS1 (Class of 2025) Undergraduate School:Johns Hopkins University
Do you serve on any student interest groups/organizations/activities? If so, which one(s) Student-Run Clinic (Volunteer Coordinator) and TMA/AMA (Treasurer)
What inspired you to become a doctor? When did you know you wanted to be a doctor? I was inspired by my lived experience to become a doctor. Seeing people suffer because of a lack of access to basic healthcare services inspired me to be the change I wanted to see in my community. I knew I wanted to be a doctor since I was a child. I've always wanted to be a doctor. The thought of anything else never interested me. Growing up, I told everyone I would be a doctor and an actor, two things I'm blessed to say that I am actively pursuing. I plan on being an Academy Award-winning doctor, a phrase I'm sure many have not heard before.
Why did you choose UTRGV School of Medicine? UTRGV was an easy choice for me. Since high school, after going to school on the East coast, I knew I wanted to come back to Texas for my medical education training. I chose UTRGV because of its size and culture of focusing on the needs of its students. I knew that I would be supported and encouraged at UTRGV to pursue my medical aspirations as well as given the space to be creative and innovative whilst learning how to be the best physician I can be.
What specialties of medicine interest you the most? Why? I am interested in a surgical field, most specifically orthopedic surgery. I want to become an orthopedist because of the ability to fix gross deformities and know that the changes you make in the operating room will make a lasting impact on patients' quality of life. I believe that in orthopedic surgery, I will be the type of physician that understands the wholistic nature of the patient's lived experience.
What areas of research interest you the most? Why? Pediatric pain is an area of research I'm very interested in. I believe that pain is often an overlooked personal experience, especially in the infant and child population. My past research experiences in Child Development at Johns Hopkins University and in the Pain Management department at Brigham and Women's have provided me with the foundation to explore my interests in pediatric pain further. I want to understand how children perceive and experience pain differently from adults. As well as finding clinical applications that can be implemented to reduce the pain experience in children post orthopedic surgery.
How has the UTRGV School of Medicine fostered your interest in pursuing a career in medicine So far, I think the most important thing UTRGV has given me on my medical journey is my classmates. I believe it is easy to minizine the importance of the people in your class or those you're around on this journey because we are all so focused on the end goal. My classmates have been the driving force for me to become the best version of myself. They push me every day to think critically. Plus, they are a genuine, caring bunch of people! I'm honored to be in the class of 2025.
What are your plans for engaging in research this summer? This summer, I will be working at Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass., in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management in partnership with the Department of Orthopedic Surgery on a study focusing on orthopedic pain in spine surgery patients. I am excited to be going back to Boston to continue research in pain management and its clinical applications.
What is one interesting fact others might not know about you that you are willing to share? I'm an actor! You can catch me on Netflix, in Castle & Castle, a Nigerian Law drama. And hopefully in more things to come.
