Dr Njideka Udochi has joined the long list of Nigerians making the country proud at the world level.
In a milestone achievement, Doctor Udochi who is the sister of Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, emerged the Family Physician Of The Year 2021 in Maryland, United States.
The Maryland Academy of Family Physicians reportedly has a membership of 1,600 physicians and its award honours a standout member that exemplifies the values and traditions of the family physician. Dr Udochi is historically the first Black female winner of the prestigious award.
Dr Udochi graduated from University of Nigeria Faculty of Medicine, Enugu, in 1988. She works as a Family Medicine Specialist in Columbia, MD and has over 33 years of experience in the medical field.
While congratulating her sister for the feat, Okonjo-Iweala thanked her for taking good care of COVID-19 patients and saving numerous lives in the process.
She tweeted: “Congratulations Dr Njideka Udochi, Maryland’s Family Physician Of The Year. Thank you for your care of COVID-19 patients and for saving so many lives. Proud of you my sister.”
Another Okonjo family member—founder and CEO of Giant Beverages, Onyema Okonjo also congratulated Dr Udochi. He wrote:
“Congratulations to both of my older sisters (Ngozi Okonjo Iweala & Njide Udochi). And congratulations to my parents. My eldest sister for her success with the WTO and my second sister for being selected as the best family practice doctor in Maryland, USA. My parents set the stage with their strong support for women. My mother has been a very passionate women’s rights advocate and even as a retired Professor of Sociology in her 90’s, she still cares about women’s rights, equal rights, and equal access for women. May God bless both of you and may both of you continue to reach greater heights.”
Dr. Udochi, who founded Millennial Family Care in 2003, was announced Baltimore Magazine Top Doctor in 2019. She is recognized as a top primary care doctor in Maryland and beyond and is featured as a medical expert on doctors’ interviews on CNN, FOX News, CNBC etc.
She graduated from the University of Nigeria Faculty of Medicine, Enugu, in 1988 and is affiliated with Saint Agnes Hospital and Howard County General Hospital.
Certified by the American Board of Family Practice and the American Board of Disability Analysts, Dr. Udochi completed her internship and residency at the George Washington University/Holy Cross Family Practice Residency Program in Rockville, Maryland. She also completed a fellowship in Geriatrics at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington D.C.
Before opening Millennium Family Practice, Dr. Udochi was employed by Mercy Medical Center and served as medical director of HCH in Baltimore City. She is certified in HIV Medicine and has experience in Addiction Medicine.
She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and, in addition, has a master’s degree in Public Health from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
