Recent grad wants to change public health
A recent Cedar Ridge High School graduate is headed to John Hopkins University this fall to study cognitive science and social policy. Then, she’s off to law school. After that? Medical school. At 18, Chioma Chidume dreams of changing public health on a global scale.
Her path forward just got a little bit easier thanks to a $40,000 scholarship from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute and GE. Chidume was one of 20 students chosen out of 16,000 applicants to receive $10,000 a year toward an undergraduate degree for up to four years.
Her application was stellar. Chidume co-founded a multinational club geared toward fostering social inclusiveness and learning. She was a key figure in starting a nonprofit with her family in Nigeria. She interned at a cancer research clinic and received training to be a certified FEMA responder.
For Chidume, the award is validation of her future plans.
“Now nothing ... anyone can say can ruin my plan,” she said. “Nothing can stand in my path.”
Chidume ranked seventh in her graduating class, and kept busy outside of her studies. She ran in track and field events, writes medical articles online and in international journals, volunteers with Meals on Wheels and has always held a parttime job related to her future goals.
Chidume is a first generation American and has lived in Texas for 13 years. Her family is from Nigeria, and she has spent a good amount of time there.
Living in both a developed country with an advanced understanding of public health and a developing country that seems at times light years behind in basic health care knowledge, Chidume said she became passionate about health care inequity.
“Seeing how (Nigerian) people can be so hard-working, so intelligent, so forthcoming with their philanthropy, but not be aware of the things they can do for the health — like using sunscreen and not smoking — something needs to be done,” she said.
Chidume said her focus is on medicine, but an advanced degree in human rights law will help her advocate for countries in need. Her passion for sociology will help her understand what people need and how they can get it.
She said she often feels basic public health has not been disseminated to developing countries because of language and cultural barriers.
Growing up in the United States, there were times Chidume said she has felt she was treated differently because of her heritage. She also saw that her peers weren’t getting enough global education to foster empathy and understanding for other cultures.
“I was born into advocacy and faith, and I plan to continue my life of service as a Doctor Without Borders, where I can immerse myself within communities in need and integrate the wonders of (developed-nation) resources and western medicine with native practice to pervade accessible health care to all,” Chidume said.