Nephrology Fellow Itunu Owoyemi, MBBS

Itunu (far left, 2nd row) with her parents and 7 siblings.

I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, with my seven siblings. My parents are my greatest mentors. I don’t know how they did it, but they were very open to family and friends staying at the house for sleepovers. This helped to hone my skills of party planning and entertaining from childhood, as my home was always a sitcom and sometimes a circus!

Why medicine? Why nephrology?

I always loved helping people and decided to be a doctor as a child. My parents nurtured that childhood dream and were instrumental in my pursuit of a career in medicine.

Nephrology was the bane of my existence in medical school! The nephron and countercurrent mechanisms just gave me chills. My greatest mentors were nephrologists and I often wondered why the people I respected so much had such a passion for their subject. Their love for nephrology was infectious and their encouragement, as well as my experience in nephrology during residency, gave me the drive to pursue mastering the kidneys.

Why UVA?

UVA has some the most brilliant minds and excellent clinicians in nephrology . I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to learn from them.

Itunu in front of a plaque dedicating a community library she helped build.

Proudest achievement outside the professional realm?

I helped build a library at an underserved community in Lagos, Nigeria. It was a lot of hard work, but also fun and fulfilling. I am proud to say that we helped to give children an opportunity to dream of a world of wisdom and wonders.

What are you usually doing in your spare time?

I work with a group of friends running a nonprofit organization that helps less privileged children complete an education in Nigeria. I also love to bake when I have the time.