Valentine Chukwuma, MD, PhD

Hometown: Enugu, Nigeria 

Undergraduate University: Lee University 

PhD: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine 

Medical School: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine 

Academic Awards/Honors: Cornelius Scholarship, Jonathan and Virginia Scholarship, Williams Scholarship, Vanderbilt Vaccine Center Scholarship 

Career Plans: Brain Injury, Cancer Rehabilitation, Interventional Spine, Pain Medicine, Pediatric Rehabilitation, Regenerative Medicine, Research

Why VUMC: By attending medical school at Vanderbilt, I got opportunities to have multiple rotations within the PM&R department at VUMC, where I got exposed to the teaching culture among the VUMC PM&R faculty. I was also fortunate to perform research within the department, where I got to learn about the opportunities to pursue my research interests as a resident at VUMC. As a patient at the Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation hospital after life-saving brain surgery, I got to experience the quality of care provided by the PM&R doctors at VUMC; a nature of care that embodies the type of doctor I want to train to become. A combination of the type of training I will receive, and the research opportunities available to me, will make training at VUMC the best path to prepare me for my future career.