Since she was a young girl, Precious Okoruwa knew that she was destined to become a doctor. Growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she was involved in her high school’s medical club. It was also in Tulsa that she spent a year working for an innovation company learning about leadership and working in large groups, which she believes helped her transition into medical school.
When she started at the Indiana University School of Medicine, one of the main areas she wanted to get involved in was maternal health research for Black women. This passion became the driving force behind her entire medical journey. As she navigated the challenges of medical school, she often reminded herself, "I'm here for a bigger purpose, for a bigger reason. I am needed in medicine."
So, when she matched into the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency — her lifelong dream — it felt like both a personal victory and a step toward a mission much bigger than herself.
“I don’t want to just be a doctor, I want to be someone who my patients can trust,” Okoruwa said.
During this opportunity, she was also able to further explore the intersection between medicine and surgery while further understanding the importance of longitudinal care through taking care of women throughout their entire lives.
“I came in knowing what I wanted to do and have stuck with it to the very end,” she said.
“I think it's really important for the safety of Black women and minoritized populations to get the best access to care that they can get, and that is a role I hope to play in,” she said.
In determining the theme for her graduation remarks, Okoruwa knew her topic was going to be “identity”, considering ““where we have been in the past, the stories that have impacted us and carrying that with us into the next phase — making sure we don’t lose sight of what made us who we are today.”
At the same time, it’s important to think about “who we want to be in this next step of our careers,” she said. During the past year, Okoruwa explained, she and her peers have been applying to residency programs in a discovery process of who they will be in the future. As part of her journey, Okoruwa asked herself, “Who am I, how did I get here, and who do I want to be in the future for my patients, colleagues and people in my community?”
When she meets with her patients, she wants each and every one of them to leave thinking, “I feel better because Precious loved me so well.”
Okoruwa said she is “passionate about serving underserved communities and addressing health disparities.” After graduation, she plans to continue that work in her role as a resident and possibly do a fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery after her OB-GYN residency. Ultimately, she aims to find a way to use her passion for medical innovation in her career and inspire the next generation of physicians.
When asked if she had anything that she wanted to share with the Class of 2025, she said, “Treasure these last few moments and hold onto the relationships you have formed because you will need them in the future.”
