By Stanley Ugagbe
In what will go down as a great record not just in Canada but also in the educational sector world-wide, another black of Nigeria origin has made the headlines for the right reason. Chika Oriuwa has proven that colour, race or background is no excuse if one is determined to achieve greatness.
Indeed, Chika has earned herself a name in history haven graduated as a valedictorian in the University of Toronto’s medical class of 259 that had her as the only black.
Oriuwa is the first Black woman to be honoured with the accolade at the school and the first woman in 14 years.
Beamed with joy, Oriuwa in a tweet wrote “such an incredibly surreal honour. Excited to be named the Valedictorian of the Class of 2020 @uoftmedicine. Endless gratitude to my peers for the opportunity to represent this cohort of brilliant physicians!”
The joyful Oriuwa, in her remarks said “I am incredibly thankful to those for voting for me and recognizing the value of the work that I do and the contributions I have made to the faculty and overall community”.
“For me, it is a testament to the advocacy I have done over the last four years. To be able to come this far is also reflective in the shifting demographic and values of medicine today. With my cohort of graduating physicians, it’s clear that we, as a collective group, value certain things more than they historically have been valued. We value diversity and inclusion and that’s very reflective in me being voted class valedictorian.”
As the only Black student in her class, the history maker succinctly averred that the expectations and pressure were at times overwhelming.
She said “I felt I had to prove my merit in the classroom”. “Not only did I feel like this was intrinsically motivated, but externally reinforced when individuals would question if I had an easier route to get into medical school simply because of my race than somehow me getting in off my own merit. Absent for me throughout medical school was that caring solidarity of having a community of Black doctors available to be able to identify with some of the discrimination and micro-aggression that one faces throughout the course of medical school and that was very challenging.
“I was also in a critical environment in which I was exposed to discrimination not only from patients but peers and staff and really struggling with that and not knowing how to unpack or process that kind of adversity. It wasn’t until I started to do a lot more of my advocacy work through giving keynote addresses, doing seminars, my poetry and being able to be an activist in that regard which was a very liberating and empowering process that has allowed me to reclaim some power in the situation.”
Delineating on her school days, the history maker who lamented that she faced a lot of discrimination, said “I never want anyone to feel like I felt”.
She said “It’s not easy representing your race. Being the only Black person, you are acutely aware of race and identity at all times. There are these tropes people assign to you if you step out of line. It was chronic exhaustion.”
On how she overcame her upheavals, she said “One thing that has really strengthened my resolve is, really, this undying sense of conviction that I have as an advocate. I know what my purpose is and what it is that I am called to do”.
“And I think that being strengthened and bolstered by the community is something that also allows me to do the work that I know is necessary.”
Oriuwa stated that to navigate medical school and the challenges, she leaned heavily on mentors.
“Chika is a strong advocate and voice for why equity and representation in medicine matter so much,” said Robinson who was recognized in 2010 with a Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in Health Sciences. “She’s brilliant, creative, passionate and compassionate and a true inspiration for me and so many others.”
In her words, Oriuwa stated that she settled for psychiatric medicine because it “allows me to have close connection with my community and continue the advocacy and outreach within my community.”
“It’s the most natural of evolution of my advocacy,” she pointed out. “When I was in medical school, everything that I did with regards to my advocacy was around empowering the disenfranchised and safeguarding marginalized communities. In medical school, I thought I wanted to be an internist because I loved the complexity and acuity. However, when I got to Psychiatry, I realized I could still get those things. It really translated into safeguarding arguably one of the most vulnerable and marginalized populations in medicine. When I finally got to that rotation which was my last, it just became very clear to me that I was called to do that work to be able to connect with and advocate for a population of patients that are often sidelined.”
On her counsel for black medical students who follow in her footsteps, Oriuwa said: “Medicine is such an incredible and beautiful profession. And it’s such a privilege and a responsibility to be able to become a doctor, and … they are more than well-equipped to be able to fulfil this role.
“Their place in medical school as black medical students is rightly deserved and rightly earned and to never question that for even for a moment, even if other people question it.”
The history maker said she recommends that black medical students have a “resounding sense” of how they define themselves as they pursue their education.
She said “Knowing who you are and what you stand for and what you will and will not tolerate will allow them to encounter any adversity and overcome any adversity”.
