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Onyema was also moved by these visits, and he credits their parents for emphasizing the community values that inspired his academic journey. An Igbo proverb, Gidi gidi bụ ugwu eze, meaning “unity is strength,” guides their ambitions. “Our parents were diligent in involving us in both the Logan community—the historically Black community in Concord where we grew up—and the Igbo community,” he explains. “For instance, the New Yam Festival is an annual event where the Igbo community celebrates the new harvest. The festival was also well known for the health screening services offered by local health care providers. As I continued to grow, I realized that I wanted to dedicate my life to these communities, primarily through improving healthcare access and delivery.”

For both brothers, it was what they didn’t find in their medical training that drew them to simultaneous studies at ����vlog����. “As I was caring for patients, I felt like there was a piece missing in my ability to provide them with the holistic care that they deserved,” notes Jamaji. “There is a person with a disease. But that person also lives in a community and in a broader society with numerous social factors that can impact their disease,” he says. “The ability of clinical medicine to treat the disease can be limited if the broader social determinants of health also are not addressed.”  

Onyema feels similarly. “As a medical student, I interacted with many patients that were consistently failed by the healthcare system. I realized that there was no individual or singular action that caused these outcomes; rather, the system was inherently dysfunctional,” he reflects. “The nature of my patients’ work, their living conditions, racism, and other circumstances often made it difficult for them to achieve optimal health. If I learned more about policy, I would become a better advocate for my patients and their communities.”

The brothers agree that a real benefit of adding public policy to medical training is that you are exposed to international development, economic and security policy, as well as a strong foundation in general public policy, which they find invaluable in serving others. And they both are quick to acknowledge the benefits of the Center for Public Leadership Fellowships. Onyema received the Fellowship for Serving African American Communities and Jamaji received an award from the Zuckerman Fellows Program, which enables recipients to pursue degrees in public service fields. In a joint paper they co-wrote entitled Medicine and Public Policy, A Potent Pandemic Co-prescription That All Cannot Afford they explain their motivation to pursue dual degrees this way:
 
“Having the privilege to undertake training outside of medical school has already been invaluable for expanding our understanding of healthcare beyond the bedside; nevertheless, not all students desiring such skills have the chance to develop them. And disparities among race, class, and gender, prevent many students from taking on these costs. For instance, approximately 13% of the US population is Black/African American, but only 7% of matriculating medical students identify the same way. We need a diverse workforce of physicians with cross-sector skillsets to address the complex, modern challenges facing our diverse world today. Dual degree programs and fellowships are among the most common paths to develop such skillsets.”