Two KCU students appointed to SNMA Board of Directors

Two Kansas City University (KCU) fourth-year student doctors have been appointed to the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) Board of Directors.

Student Doctor Deborah Dele-Oni will serve a one-year term on the Board of Directors as Osteopathic Schools Committee co-chair. Dele-Oni is a Nigerian-American born and raised in Boston. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth prior to her acceptance to KCU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. She became actively involved in SNMA during her first year of medical school as a Global Health Fellow. Additionally, Dele-Oni has held past roles as a National Future Leadership Project (FLP) Fellow and on the executive leadership team for FLP.

At KCU, Dele-Oni helped create J.U.M.P-Start (Journey for Underrepresented Minorities Program), an annual initiative in Kansas City that immerses undergrad students in medical school curriculum to equip them with tools to be successful in the application process. She also served as Student Government Association class president, Student Ambassador, and a Gold Humanism Honor Society member.

Oluwatosin Ibrahim will serve a one-year term on the Board of Directors as Membership Committee co-chair. The Nigerian native immigrated to Denver with her family as a young girl. Following family tradition, she returned to Nigeria to complete her high school education. Her interest in pursuing medicine piqued during her time there. She returned to Denver to attend the University of Colorado where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Biology.

While at KCU, Ibrahim has served as a Student Ambassador and mentor for the Black Girl White Coats program. She previously held a leadership role with KCU’s SNMA chapter serving as vice president and at the organization’s national level as Programming Sub-committee co-chair for the 59th Annual Medical Education Conference.

Founded in 1964 by medical students from Howard University College of Medicine and Meharry Medical College, SNMA is the nation’s oldest and largest independent, student-run organization focused on the needs and concerns of medical students of color. With chapters across the nation, SNMA membership includes more than 7000 medical students, pre-medical students and physicians. The organization is dedicated to increasing the number of African-American, Latino and other students of color entering and completing medical school and to assisting in the eradication of racial and ethic health disparities.