Christiana Obioma

Born and raised in Aba, Nigeria, Christiana observed how poverty and inadequate access to health care affected her community. She was determined to make a difference and immigrated to the United States in 2013 to pursue a degree in medicine. When an opportunity for international students to enlist in the U.S. Army opened, she reflected on all the opportunities the United States had given her, felt it was her turn to give back and enlisted and as a combat medic in the U.S. Army Reserve.

As a member of the 469th ground ambulance unit, Christiana learned medical skills and the importance of serving others irrespective of their different backgrounds. She is currently a second-year medical student and is committed to improving the health outcomes of the most vulnerable populations by volunteering at free clinics in her community and advocating for educational programs that highlight the disparities affecting medically underserved populations.

As a physician, Christiana will improve the health of underserved populations in her community and internationally by building teams with interdisciplinary health professionals that will provide patient-centered care, promote patient education and preventative health care in medically underserved communities. She plans to improve the disparities and patient experiences of under-represented patients by incorporating their health struggles into the medical curriculum. Christiana will continue to embody the values of leadership and service she has learned in the military while drastically improving the health outcomes of underserved populations.