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Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student - Education - Nairaland

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Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by jendy36(m): 8:16pm On May 14, 2015
At Medical School, a late bloomer

Afam Nduaguba, a Nigerian immigrant, worked hard for both family and future; eventually, things clicked



This is one in a series of profiles showcasing some of Harvard’s stellar graduates.

Afam Nduaguba worked two jobs to support his family, toiling days in a pharmacy and nights as a security guard — and sometimes getting beaten up for his trouble. Harvard Medical School (HMS) was so far removed from his teenage expectations, it wasn’t even a dream.

Nduaguba, who is graduating with an M.D. from HMS, was 16 when he arrived with his family from Nigeria on Christmas Day 2000. The family of seven leaned on the Nigerian community in the Boston area, splitting up to live with other families.

Within weeks of arriving, Nduaguba went to work and then to school. His parents valued education — his father had a master’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology — so Nduaguba and his older brother enrolled in Roxbury Community College for the spring term.

Though Nduaguba had finished high school, he struggled. In a new country with few resources and needing to help support his family, he failed some courses. Academic probation followed, along with ineligibility for financial aid. That made it more important that he work, which caused schedule conflicts and missed classes.

“I spent five years at Roxbury Community College. It should be a two-year program,” Nduaguba said.

But he stuck with it. Nduaguba never doubted he was academically capable, but his family’s economic well-being came first. Finally, things began to turn around when he enrolled in a Saturday class in anatomy and physiology.

Teaching the class was a Ph.D. from Harvard-affiliated Boston Children’s Hospital, who urged Nduaguba to consider medical school. He pointed Nduaguba to the CURE program at Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a step that he said changed his life.

Through CURE, Nduaguba began working in the lab of Nabeel Bardeesy, an associate professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, another Harvard affiliate.

“He was willing [to] overlook my 2.3 G.P.A.,” Nduaguba said. “It was a very inspiring experience.”

Bardeesy said Nduaguba had a curiosity and an “incredible energy about him.” Bardeesy believes the time in his lab helped convince Nduaguba that he could succeed at a place like Harvard.

“Right away I was impressed by his intelligence and personality. He’s a very dynamic guy,” Bardeesy said. “I knew he would do terrifically.”

Nduaguba graduated from Roxbury Community College and enrolled at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He completed a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry two years later, in 2009, while continuing to work with Bardeesy. His grades had improved, but his early failures were still on his transcript. Regardless, he applied to Harvard Medical School, and he was accepted.

He found Harvard dramatically different, in terms of resources and student support. He was able to explore medical options through experiences like the Family Van, which provides health care to underserved Boston neighborhoods. And he spent a summer in Rwanda, where the desperate need for surgeons shifted his early interest in cancer medicine to orthopedic surgery.

In the fall, Nduaguba will start a residency in orthopedic surgery at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He hopes one day to provide surgery in resource-poor settings, though he acknowledges things can change.

“Based on my life history,” Nduaguba said, “I can’t say I know the future.”


http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/05/at-medical-school-a-late-bloomer/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hu-facebook-general


Pix: “I spent five years at Roxbury Community College. It should be a two-year program,” said Afam Nduaguba, pictured here with Chiso Okafor, Nduaguba's mentor and the interim dean of professional studies and career services at RCC. Nduaguba eventually earned a bachelor's from UMass Boston before applying, and being accepted, to Harvard Medical School.

42 Likes 7 Shares

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Akkord4gov: 8:19pm On May 14, 2015
While we have a lot of mad people on the street trekking without a reasonable reason,som1 out there is making us proud.

93 Likes 4 Shares

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Princecalm(m): 8:24pm On May 14, 2015
hard work and determination pays

27 Likes 1 Share

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by tobtap: 8:28pm On May 14, 2015
COOL...but not first naija harvard graduate

3 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Sweetguy25: 8:29pm On May 14, 2015
Igbo vs Yoruba loading... Round 1

46 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Nobody: 8:30pm On May 14, 2015
nwa afo! fulfill your destiny!... Regards. grin

67 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by shortgun(m): 8:30pm On May 14, 2015
Happy for him
Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by pure2012soul(m): 8:30pm On May 14, 2015
Thank GOD we have people that still make us proud abroad. I hope the Golden Eaglets, Flying Eagles, and Super Falcons will do same this year

4 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by wunmi590(m): 8:31pm On May 14, 2015
.

1 Like

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Nobody: 8:31pm On May 14, 2015
HARDWORK pays.............GOD bless your handiwork brother.
we are all proud of you broo..
igbo kwenu.. oga dirigima nwanemo.

70 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Udehpaschal1(m): 8:31pm On May 14, 2015
May God continue to bless him

3 Likes 1 Share

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by ayus7(m): 8:31pm On May 14, 2015
Its fast bcomin a norm these dayz sha. Thanks 2 him 4 makin us proud unlike d Indonesian guyz.

3 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by decode55(m): 8:31pm On May 14, 2015
IGBO KWENU!

cool

80 Likes 1 Share

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by amarachi06(f): 8:32pm On May 14, 2015
Adalu for making ur country proud & ur tribe.
unlike those four that gave disgraced us last mnth.
Ur mama born you well.

14 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by decode55(m): 8:32pm On May 14, 2015
IGBO KWENU!!

cool

47 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by hotgunz(m): 8:33pm On May 14, 2015
Oya I dey trek go London to congrt ds dude

16 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Pavore9: 8:33pm On May 14, 2015
Nwanne, congratulations!

17 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by jamex93(m): 8:33pm On May 14, 2015
good
Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by exemen: 8:33pm On May 14, 2015
.......congrat

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Nobody: 8:33pm On May 14, 2015
he is not an igbo but a Nigerian

14 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Demmzy15(m): 8:33pm On May 14, 2015
Happy for him!

Igbo vs Yoruba

Up Next on 'Telemundo'

Time 9:00pm everyday! grin

14 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by bobcharly(m): 8:33pm On May 14, 2015
that's greatly commendable! ..Naija will get there soon.. good people, great nation!
Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by amnestylaw1(m): 8:34pm On May 14, 2015
Eya, the guys suffer o. Thank God for am sha

1 Like

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Abyolah: 8:34pm On May 14, 2015
congrats to the guy,hardwork pays and i know those harvard guys would invite me 1 day to tell 'em how i do my thing (paint)...really optimistic
Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by MrFootball(m): 8:34pm On May 14, 2015
Princecalm:
hard work and determination pays
U can say dat again.

1 Like

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by TheFilmmaker: 8:34pm On May 14, 2015
Is he related to Afam4ever here on Nairaland??

grin grin

2 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by georjay(m): 8:34pm On May 14, 2015
decode55:
IGBO KWENU!

cool
. KWEZENU O...proudly YORUBA...ONE LOVE STILL cool

61 Likes

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Nobody: 8:35pm On May 14, 2015
Nice. Proudly African. CHEERS MAN

1 Like

Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by dominionangel: 8:35pm On May 14, 2015
Congrats Afam.
Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Boscojugunu(m): 8:35pm On May 14, 2015
Congratulations
Re: Afam Nduaguba Made It At Havard University, Graduates As Stellar Student by Nobody: 8:35pm On May 14, 2015
decode55:
IGBO KWENU!! u silly thing
cool
undecided
decode55:
IGBO KWENU!!
cool

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