Who is The Naija Doc?!?

Welcome!!!

My name is Vivian Okirie, M.D., and I am an Internal Medicine resident physician at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT-Houston). This blog and the associated Instagram account (@thenaijadoc) were created with the intent to shed light on the mystery that is being accepted into medical school and going through “the process”.

As a woman of color, there were very few millennial pre-med or medical student resources that really discussed what we have to go through in order to get the coveted “…our great pleasure to offer you admission…”. There has always been this feeling that only the top 10% students or those with medical school connections can actually infiltrate the system. I know first hand that this is not the case, because I did not have either in my corner. Now that I have completed medical school, I hope to expose as much as I can about getting accepted, managing and prospering while in school, and tackling the mountain that is residency. I also want to help those who are looking for a way to simply get a foot in the door. We cannot continue to get blessed by The Lord and not expect to extend our hands to help those who come after us.

I am a 31 year old Nigerian who was born and raised in Alabama. Yes, Alabama has some hidden treasures (besides our college football teams…Roll Tide Roll)! I attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham for undergraduate and Morehouse School of Medicine for my Masters and doctorate in medicine. Yes, I did major in Biology with a minor in Chemistry at UAB. I also got my Masters in Biomedical Research. Nevertheless, do not let these sentences fool you into thinking I had a smooth transition.

I would love for you to join the ride as I give an unapologetic viewpoint on what Medicine looks like from all angles.

Current Location:
Houston, Texas