LCHC Introduces First Class of Family Medicine Residents
LAWNDALE CHRISTIAN FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY
LCHC introduces its inaugural class of residents, set to begin training in July 2022
Release: March 18, 2022
CHICAGO – LCHC is ecstatic to welcome its very first cohort of talented Family Medicine Residents to its Teaching Health Center (THC) program! Being one of just a few THC programs in the State of Illinois, the new Lawndale Family Medicine Residency (FMR) is designed to care for the marginalized with the love of Jesus and equip family physicians with a skillset to pursue health equity for all communities.
The three-year Family Medicine Residency will begin training these six residents in July 2022 to provide preventive care, chronic disease management, substance use disorder treatment, health care for people experiencing homelessness, and more. Within the faith and mission-focused program, residents will also be supported in their spiritual wellbeing as they foster their passion for sharing the love of Jesus through healthcare.
The hope for the Lawndale FMR is that the Lawndale community — and other designated medically underserved communities — will gain even more physicians who are well equipped to care for patients in this context. The program also hopes to support diversity in the medical field, where currently just 7% of medical residents are African American and 6% are Hispanic or Latino/a. As a teaching health center, LCHC continues to develop clear training pathways within the organization for all roles, so that each staff member can envision a long career path caring for patients in Lawndale.
Meet the Residents!
Edward Akinyemi, MD: “I am so excited to be a part of the Inaugural Class of the Lawndale FMR! My hope is that I am able to meet people where they are at with the love of Jesus. I truly believe that Jesus is the hope for humanity and I am glad that through this residency, I can demonstrate His compassion with every person who walks through the doors of Lawndale Christian Health Center.”
Oluwaseun Durojaye, MD: "Simply stated, my passion is to give back to the communities that have given me so much. Without my community, I would have never been able to get where I am today. I am the little black girl who became her wildest dreams. I am excited to learn how to serve my community without hiding my passion for God."
Nick Eckert, MD: “It is an absolute honor to have the opportunity to learn from and alongside faculty, staff, and co-residents who have given their lives to this mission. I look forward to my patients being my neighbors and my teachers. To be a small part of their stories will be a true privilege."
Courtney Hatcher, MD: “During residency, I envision a trusting, respectful relationship with my colleagues at LCHC. This connection will allow me to grow, learn, and creatively energize the community through faith-based medical care for the underserved. I am eager to embark on the next chapter of my life and hope to positively impact my newly adopted Lawndale family.”
Joyce Idehen, MD: “I’m so ecstatic to have matched at LCHC! My passions within medicine include preventative care, mental health, women's health, and research on racial disparities. I get to fulfill my dreams here by caring for the underserved, providing primary care, researching, and understanding the complexities of racial health disparities, and learning what it means to express my faith in the field of medicine. I get to empower my patients and focus on the marginalized people the medical system often neglects.”
Daniel Tzou, MD: “I am so excited to be a member of the inaugural Lawndale FMR class. My greatest passion in medicine is to give selflessly to serve my patients, to join them in their stories and help meet them where they are. I hope to continue growing and cultivating my passion for pediatric care, psychiatry, and behavioral health. I see no better place to do so than in the loving Lawndale community.”
LAWNDALE MEDIA CONTACT:
Kelsey Nygaard
872-588-3187
kelseynygaard@lawndale.org