Top African origin doctors in USA

Below is a representative (but not exhaustive) list of doctors who were born in or strongly identify with countries in Africa and have practiced or conducted significant work in the United States.

This compilation spans various specialties—neurosurgery, infectious diseases, oncology, surgery, etc.—and includes physicians who have impacted clinical care, research, public health, or medical leadership.

It is neither an official ranking nor a definitive catalog, given the many African-origin doctors making meaningful contributions throughout American healthcare. However, these profiles illustrate the breadth of African talent shaping U.S. medicine.

Introduction

African-born doctors have long enriched the American medical community, whether through groundbreaking research, practice in underserved areas, or leadership in academic institutions. Motivations for coming to the United States vary, ranging from advanced training to faculty appointments or involvement in large-scale research collaborations. Their experiences exemplify how international expertise fuels innovation, broadens cultural competence, and addresses global health challenges from a more inclusive perspective.

Below are 20 such physicians, each representing a fraction of the many African-born clinicians and scientists working in the U.S. Some are high-profile researchers in top universities, others are pioneering surgeons or frontline practitioners. Their collective narrative underscores the powerful role diaspora professionals play in improving American healthcare systems.

Profiles of Twenty Doctors of African Origin in the USA

Dr. Haile T. Debas (Eritrea)

• Specialty: Surgery (Gastrointestinal)
• Key Roles:
  • Dean Emeritus, School of Medicine; Chancellor Emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
  • Founding Executive Director of UCSF Global Health Sciences
• Major Achievements:
  • Advanced academic surgical programs at UCSF, focusing on GI surgeries and health policy
  • Promoted global health initiatives bridging the U.S. and developing countries
• Significance:
  Dr. Debas’s leadership transformed surgical education and global health collaborations, setting standards for academic medicine’s role in addressing worldwide healthcare disparities.

Dr. Bennet Omalu (Nigeria)

• Specialty: Forensic Pathology, Neuropathology
• Key Roles:
  • Former Chief Medical Examiner in San Joaquin County, California
  • Associate clinical professor at UC Davis (previously)
• Major Achievements:
  • First to identify and describe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in American football players
  • Publications spurred the NFL and public to confront concussion-related brain damage
• Significance:
  Dr. Omalu’s CTE discovery redefined sports medicine’s approach to head injuries. His perseverance in highlighting the risks of repeated concussions has saved countless athletes from unmanaged neurotrauma.

Dr. Olufunmilayo Falusi Olopade (Nigeria)

• Specialty: Oncology, Genetics
• Key Roles:
  • Walter L. Palmer Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics at the University of Chicago
  • Director of the Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics
• Major Achievements:
  • Renowned for research on inherited breast cancer risk, especially in African and African-descent populations
  • Developed innovative screening and risk-reduction strategies for triple-negative breast cancer
• Significance:
  Dr. Olopade’s work on BRCA mutations and race-based cancer disparities has influenced guidelines and improved early detection programs globally, including in the United States.

Dr. Kwaku Ohene-Frempong (Ghana)

• Specialty: Pediatric Hematology, Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)
• Key Roles:
  • Director Emeritus, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
  • Pediatric hematologist recognized internationally for SCD care
• Major Achievements:
  • Advanced newborn screening protocols and standardized therapies for sickle cell complications
  • Mentored numerous pediatric specialists focusing on hemoglobinopathies
• Significance:
  By linking African and American experiences with SCD, Dr. Ohene-Frempong improved patient outcomes and championed better resources, guiding policies that ensure children with SCD receive comprehensive support.

Dr. Onyema Ogbuagu (Nigeria)

• Specialty: Infectious Diseases
• Key Roles:
  • Associate Professor of Medicine at Yale School of Medicine
  • Led Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials at Yale
• Major Achievements:
  • Key figure in coordinating vaccine trials and analyzing efficacy data
  • Works extensively on HIV clinical research and pandemic preparedness
• Significance:
  Dr. Ogbuagu’s leadership in COVID-19 vaccine studies contributed to a fast but thorough approval process, exemplifying how diaspora expertise can shape U.S. responses to global pandemics.

Dr. Fola May (Nigeria)

• Specialty: Gastroenterology, Population Health
• Key Roles:
  • Assistant Professor at UCLA
  • Focuses on colorectal cancer screening disparities and outcomes
• Major Achievements:
  • Demonstrated how race, socioeconomic factors, and access can influence colon cancer diagnoses
  • Advocates policy reforms and community engagement to close screening gaps
• Significance:
  Dr. May’s data-driven approach to health equity within GI care addresses a pressing public health challenge, especially in underserved U.S. communities.

Dr. Edjah Nduom (Ghana)

• Specialty: Neurosurgery
• Key Roles:
  • Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine
  • Research in immunotherapy for brain tumors
• Major Achievements:
  • Explores how immune-based treatments might extend survival in aggressive gliomas
  • Champions mentorship for African-origin medical trainees in neurosurgery
• Significance:
  By bridging advanced neuro-oncology with mentorship, Dr. Nduom expands opportunities for the next generation, and his bench-to-bedside research fosters hope for more effective brain tumor treatments.

Dr. Yele Aluko (Nigeria)

• Specialty: Cardiology, Healthcare Administration
• Key Roles:
  • Former Senior Cardiologist at the Heart & Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic
  • Executive Director at Ernst & Young – Center for Health Solutions (USA)
• Major Achievements:
  • Provided specialized cardiology services, focusing on complex cases and heart failure management
  • Transitioned into healthcare leadership, advising systems on policy and organizational transformation
• Significance:
  Dr. Aluko’s path from high-level clinical practice to strategic health consulting exemplifies how African-born physicians can influence American healthcare beyond the bedside, shaping policy and institutional governance.

Dr. Senait Fisseha (Ethiopia)

• Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Global Health
• Key Roles:
  • Former Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan
  • Director of Global Programs at the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
• Major Achievements:
  • Advocated for expanded reproductive healthcare access in resource-limited settings
  • Collaborated with WHO and philanthropic organizations to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes
• Significance:
  Dr. Fisseha’s bridging of academic OBGYN practice with philanthropic leadership fosters cross-continental solutions for women’s health, aligning U.S. and African perspectives on maternal healthcare.

Dr. Tsion Firew (Ethiopia)

• Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Global Health
• Key Roles:
  • Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Columbia University
  • Advised Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health on emergency care development
• Major Achievements:
  • Published on emergency medicine capacity-building in low-income settings
  • Served on front lines during COVID-19 surges in New York, informing best practices
• Significance:
  Dr. Firew’s direct involvement with both U.S. ERs and Ethiopian health systems underscores the diaspora’s role in scaling emergency preparedness. She fosters knowledge exchange that benefits both continents.

Dr. John Nkengasong (Cameroon)

• Specialty: Virology, Public Health
• Key Roles:
  • U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy (as of 2022)
  • Founding Director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
• Major Achievements:
  • Spearheaded Africa’s coordinated COVID-19 response, distributing testing kits and vaccines
  • Strengthened U.S.-Africa public health partnerships in HIV and pandemic surveillance
• Significance:
  Dr. Nkengasong’s transition to a top U.S. global health role illustrates how diaspora expertise can shape global infectious disease strategies, bridging African field experience with American resources.

Dr. Babafemi Taiwo (Nigeria)

• Specialty: Infectious Diseases, HIV Medicine
• Key Roles:
  • Chief of Infectious Diseases at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
  • Leads clinical trials in antiretroviral therapy
• Major Achievements:
  • Pioneered research on optimizing HIV treatment regimens and reducing drug resistance
  • Investigates novel therapeutics for long-term viral suppression
• Significance:
  Dr. Taiwo’s leadership in HIV clinical research benefits U.S. patients and global HIV programs, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where his insights guide local treatment guidelines.

Dr. Opeyemi Olabisi (Nigeria)

• Specialty: Nephrology, Regenerative Biology
• Key Roles:
  • Assistant Professor of Medicine at Duke University
  • Studies genetic kidney diseases using stem cell models
• Major Achievements:
  • Investigates APOL1 variants prevalent among people of African ancestry that increase kidney disease risk
  • Aims to develop targeted therapies for high-risk populations
• Significance:
  Dr. Olabisi’s genetic approach addresses health disparities in chronic kidney disease, bridging molecular science with the unique epidemiology of African-descended communities in the U.S.

Dr. Elorm Avakame (Ghana)

• Specialty: Pediatrics, Health Policy
• Key Roles:
  • Pediatrics residency in top U.S. children’s hospital
  • Policy fellowships focusing on health equity and child welfare
• Major Achievements:
  • Works at the intersection of pediatrics and health systems improvement
  • Researches how socioeconomic factors affect pediatric outcomes
• Significance:
  Dr. Avakame’s combined clinical-policy perspective fosters data-driven reforms in American child healthcare, shaped by an understanding of global pediatric inequities.

Dr. Theophilus Kwofie (Ghana)

• Specialty: Internal Medicine, Hospital Medicine
• Key Roles:
  • Medical Director of hospitalist programs at various U.S. healthcare systems
  • Focus on quality improvement, patient safety, and leadership training
• Major Achievements:
  • Implemented care protocols that reduce hospital-acquired conditions
  • Mentors diaspora clinicians to navigate American medical practice
• Significance:
  Dr. Kwofie’s emphasis on hospital-based care optimization ensures better patient outcomes and fosters a pipeline of diverse leadership in American healthcare administration.

Dr. Samuel Dagogo-Jack (Nigeria)

• Specialty: Endocrinology, Diabetes
• Key Roles:
  • Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center
• Major Achievements:
  • Research on prevention of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and racial disparities in diabetes care
  • Published extensively on glucose regulation and cardiovascular risks in diabetes
• Significance:
  Dr. Dagogo-Jack’s clinical trials and publications have guided diabetes guidelines, influencing how U.S. physicians address an epidemic that disproportionately affects African American communities and other minority groups.

Dr. Martin Salia (Sierra Leone) (1970–2014)

• Specialty: Surgery
• Key Roles:
  • Served in Sierra Leone, but also had partial affiliations/training in the U.S.
  • Treated patients during the 2014 Ebola outbreak
• Major Achievements:
  • Demonstrated commitment to frontline care in resource-limited settings
  • Evacuated to the U.S. for Ebola treatment but tragically died
• Significance:
  While Dr. Salia’s main practice was in Sierra Leone, his partial U.S. ties and ultimate medical evacuation highlight diaspora doctors’ dedication to serving vulnerable populations, bridging both worlds.

Dr. Wafik El-Deiry (Egypt)

• Specialty: Oncology, Molecular Biology
• Key Roles:
  • Professor of Medicine and Chief, Division of Hematology/Oncology at Brown University (previously Penn State, Fox Chase Cancer Center)
  • Focuses on tumor suppressor genes and precision oncology
• Major Achievements:
  • Known for p53-related research and novel anticancer agents
  • Runs clinical trials linking bench discoveries to bedside treatments
• Significance:
  Dr. El-Deiry’s translational approach exemplifies how diaspora scientists in the U.S. accelerate progress in cancer therapies, with direct benefits for American and global patients.

Dr. Girma Tefera (Ethiopia)

• Specialty: Vascular Surgery
• Key Roles:
  • Professor and vascular surgeon at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Engaged in global surgery outreach and resident training programs
• Major Achievements:
  • Developed comprehensive approaches to peripheral artery disease management
  • Organized philanthropic missions to improve surgical infrastructure in Ethiopia
• Significance:
  Dr. Tefera’s practice merges top-tier vascular care in the U.S. with capacity-building efforts in East Africa, fostering an exchange of surgical expertise that saves limbs and lives on both continents.

Dr. Deqo Mohamed (Somalia)

• Specialty: Family Medicine, Public Health
• US Connections:
  • Speaking engagements, partnerships with American NGOs and academic medical centers
  • Daughter of Dr. Hawa Abdi (renowned Somali physician); advanced her mother’s humanitarian legacy
• Major Achievements:
  • Operates philanthropic and health programs addressing maternal care, child malnutrition, and conflict-related health crises
  • Collaborates with diaspora networks to secure resources for Somali communities
• Significance:
  Dr. Mohamed’s bridging of philanthropic and clinical roles underlines how diaspora doctors can mobilize U.S. support for crisis-affected regions in Africa, particularly maternal and child health.

Conclusion

From neurosurgery breakthroughs and immunotherapy discoveries to better strategies against infectious diseases and diabetes, these African-origin doctors wield a remarkable influence on U.S. healthcare. Their varied journeys—from Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Somalia, and beyond—showcase the diversity of African expertise enriching American medicine. Meanwhile, many maintain strong ties to their homelands, championing bilateral collaborations that strengthen systems on both sides of the Atlantic.

Even as this list highlights 20 notable individuals, it merely samples the broad community of African doctors in the United States. Each professional’s achievements exemplify the valuable interplay of knowledge and culture that diaspora physicians bring to clinical practice, medical education, and research initiatives, helping to shape a more inclusive and globally connected healthcare landscape.