Today we’d like to introduce you to Nneka Madu and Jessica Green.
Nneka and Jessica, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
We met in 2017 when we were first-year medical students at McGovern Medical School and after getting to know one another we realized how much of an impact that we could have on underrepresented minorities who want to pursue a career in medicine. So, we decided to use YouTube as a platform to reach students of color and serve as virtual mentors who provide resources and advice for them. Since our first video, 125,000 people have viewed our channel, which currently offers 42 videos on everything from how to conquer the interview jitters and what to expect in medical school. Most importantly, we’ve been able to serve our community by speaking at event programs like Girls, Inc and hosting annual giveaways of MCAT prep resources for pre-med students.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This journey has definitely not been easy. There have been roadblocks along the way but we have always found ways to cope and be resilient. The most recent challenge was our first board exam. We were faced with the harsh reality that our study habits were not tailored to meet the expansive knowledge required to achieve our desired scores. Throughout our time in medical school, we have constantly dealt with impostor syndrome which is when an individual doubt their accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud. However, we have continued to lean on each other, our fellow classmates and our own families for unwavering support. Without our solid foundation, surviving medical school would be impossible.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Chocolate Docs – what should we know?
We are co-founders of The Chocolate Docs where we serve as virtual mentors to under-represented minorities who want to pursue a career in medicine. We also provide resources and tips that will help our students succeed on their path to becoming physicians. We are most proud of our growth and impact on the next generation of black and brown physicians. Our initial goal was to reach one person, and it’s humbling to know that we’ve surpassed that goal by reaching thousands of individuals across the nation. We haven’t come across a channel that showcases two women of color who are pursuing careers in medicine and who share our passion for mentorship and representation. One thing that we pride ourselves on is the fact that we maintain true to ourselves and have an open line of communication amongst our virtual family.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
We owe our success to God and the support system that He has provided for us. Without them, it would have been extremely difficult to remain focused on our bigger purpose of serving and healing our community.
Contact Info:
- Email: thechocolatedocs@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechocolatedocs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechocolatedocs/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chocolate_docs
Image Credit:
Tracy Nwanne
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