Dr. Ifeanyi Onyeji Resident/Fellow Inclusive Excellence and Equity Award
The Graduate Medical Education, Office of Student and Resident Diversity, and Resident Medical Staff Committee leadership annually recognizes a resident/fellow physician dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion at UC Davis Health.
Dr. Alex Zhornitskiy, 2024 Inclusive Excellence and Equity Award Winner
About the Award
This award was named after Dr. Ifeanyi Onyeji with the permission of his family. Dr. Ifeanyi Onyeji’s life was marked by a passion for EDI and he received many honors for it in his undergraduate education at Stanford and in medical school at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Here at UCDH, Dr. Onyeji was a bright light in our trainee community. He was a rising Chief Resident in the Department of Urology, and his leadership and mentoring in the Urologic community will be honored by Urology Unbound (an organization focused on increasing diversity in Urology). He was a foundational member of the Black Resident Organization (BRO) and provided excellent care to our diverse populations, enhanced by his ability to do so in Spanish. Dr. Onyeji was a beloved member of our community whose life is an excellent model for our trainee community.
Blinded nominations for the award are evaluated by a committee of officers of the Resident and Medical Staff Committee and Deans and Directors of the Office of Graduate Medical Education and Office of Student and Resident Diversity on the following criteria: recruitment of trainees from backgrounds that are underrepresented in medicine (URiM); enhancement of the medical education of URiM medical students and resident/fellow physician or curriculum development in anti-racism, discrimination, or bias; advocacy efforts and awareness of sociopolitical injustices in vulnerable populations; and direct, concerted involvement in improving the health outcomes of underserved communities through clinical and/or community-based engagement.
2024 - Alex Zhornitskiym MD, Gastroenterology Fellow
2023 - Gabriela Gonzalez, MD, Urology Resident
