3rd Year OHSU MD student and OMEF Board Member: Nelly Nouboussi
Nelly was born and raised in the Republic of Cameroon in west-central Africa, a country of over 29 million people. In addition to French and English, approximately 250 other languages are spoken, making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. (Source: Wikipedia)
She moved to the US when she was 14 and attended the University of Oregon, where she studied Biology and Global Health. Medicine runs in the family - Nelly’s sister is also a 3rd year medical student in Philadelphia, and the two sisters visit every chance they get. Their mother is also a physician, running her own clinic near their family home, helping "people even when they could not pay, which was the opposite of most places in the country where you had to pay before receiving care. It showed me that I can have a big impact in people's lives as a physician and I wanted to continue the work she had started.”
To her, celebrating all cultures is important however “especially Black History because of the harm that was done to the Black community in this country. It's important to remember the mistakes that were made so we do not repeat them.” She has seen how the distrust created over many years has contributed to a reluctance to seek care, further exacerbating healthcare inequities.
She has a unique perspective on diversity and feels strongly that it is important in every field, especially in medicine where so much can be gained by sharing knowledge with others who are different to us. She challenges us to treat everyone with respect, take time to reflect on our own biases – conscious or unconscious – and explore other cultures so that we not only help our patients but contribute to the rebuilding of trust between communities at a foundational level.
Nelly has an incredible work ethic, a warm smile and big dreams of returning to Cameroon someday to set up her own teaching hospital, where she too can have a positive impact on her community.
OMEF Board Member: CS Sheffield
CS loves being part of the OMEF mission and has been a valued member of the Board since 2021. With an engaging personality, open heart and philanthropic spirit, he brings his best to the world everyday as a devoted husband and busy father of three (nearly grown!) children. After a 20+ year career with Pfizer, he now manages a biotech fund to help him stay current on many medical breakthroughs that occur on a weekly basis.
His motivation to pursue a career in medicine was in part inspired by the work of Dr. Charles Drew, an African-American physician who changed blood transfusion storage and helped develop the first blood bank with the American Red Cross in the mid-20th century. While advances like this make him proud, “I also appreciate that these accomplishments have become a part of mainstream history not just Black history. That is the real progress that I hope to continue to see.”
His advice for students echoes the dedication he admires in Dr. Drew: “Continue to develop your knowledge in areas that you like & know best. Specification in medicine is important, as it is so complex; we need experts in fields & not generalists of medicine, I believe.”
To CS, diversity in medicine is not just an asset – it is an essential part of delivering care that meets the needs of people from many different backgrounds. His work with the OMEF helps support all students to feel at home in the House of Medicine and feel empowered to use their voice.
He sees a bright future for medicine in “the young talent that OMEF has the pleasure of serving & helping to grow, so that they can continue being a blessing to so many people in this world.”
Pre-Med student: Maya Holman
Originally from Portland, Oregon she is currently studying Neuroscience and Entrepreneurship at DePaul University in Chicago. Her dad is from Los Angeles and her mom is from Northern Italy, and at times she found it difficult to connect with Black culture and her dad’s heritage here. It wasn’t until she moved away that her eyes were opened to a “Black America that is thriving in so many ways that would have been inconceivable even 50 years ago.”
As a child, the medical essays and illustrations in books like Gray’s Anatomy and Crucial Interventions captured her imagination, which led to a keen interest in surgery and all the good it could do for the world. When she is not studying or fostering rescue dogs, she seeks out opportunities to learn from one of the few African American female plastic surgeons, Dr. Tara Sulyman-Scott, and other prominent female medical professionals.
To her, Black History Month presents the opportunity to explore her own history and the “contributions Black people have made to American society that are buried in or co-opted by Anglocentric histories.” She is encouraged by the fact that it is more common to see inspiring Black leaders in positions of influence, for example Stephanie Dance-Barnes, the Dean of DePaul’s College of Health and Sciences, and “others who will become the subjects of Black history if they are not already.”
She eventually plans to apply to OHSU to study medicine. “In those ranks, I can see myself too: a future doctor and active member in my community…and all the opportunities I have to contribute positively to the world around me in a way that is inclusive of people who look like me — those who have not always had the chance to share their passions and talents due to racism and cumulative lifetimes of marginalization.”