管家婆心水论坛

ACP's President, Isaac O. Opole, MBChB, PhD, MACP, discusses what he loves about internal medicine

Isaac O. Opole, MBChB, PhD, MACP
鈥 OCCUPATION 鈥
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Ruth Bohan Teaching Professor of Medicine
Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

鈥 MEDICAL SCHOOL 鈥
School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, Kenya
University of California, Irvine, CA

鈥 RESIDENCY 鈥
Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

Background

1. I was born and raised in 鈥 Nairobi, Kenya.

2. As a child I was 鈥 an inquisitive problem-solver (thinker).

3. I decided to be a doctor 鈥 although I loved physics and imagined myself as a particle physicist.

4. The persons who influenced me the most 鈥 were my parents, Richard and Janet Opole, and my mentors, Professors James Kimani and Jim Fallon.

Career

5. I chose internal medicine because 鈥 it is both challenging and satisfying. Using knowledge and detective-like inquiry, and the complexity of the diagnostic process, challenged and appealed to my sense of curiosity; also, 鈥渇inding the answer and fixing it鈥 was very satisfying.

6. What I find most rewarding about my career is 鈥 my patients, my learners, and my colleagues.

7. I joined ACP because 鈥 it was my go-to place for knowledge as a resident, and it elevated the specialty of internal medicine and embodied the pinnacle of excellence and professionalism in medicine.

8. An award or achievement I am proud of is 鈥 Fellowship of the 管家婆心水论坛.

9. My advice to medical students is 鈥 in selecting a career path, choose what you love and love what you choose. That way, you can wake up every morning loving your life rather than dreading the day.

Personal

Opole Family

10. I like people who 鈥 challenge me and make me a better person.

11. My family includes 鈥 my community, my friends, and my colleagues.

12. My interests/hobbies are 鈥 gardening, playing bad golf, traveling, and music.

13. If I had the time, I would like to learn 鈥 how to play the piano.

14. I enjoy listening to 鈥 any eclectic array of music, but am particularly fond of jazz, blues, and rhumba.

15. I enjoy watching 鈥 thought-provoking movies and shows.

16. My idea of a great vacation is 鈥 Rest, Rest, and more Rest!

17. Something others may not know about me is 鈥 I love dogs, although I do not currently have a pet.

18. If I could be anything other than a physician, I would be 鈥 a chef or preschool teacher.

19. A person I greatly admire is/was 鈥 Nelson Mandela.

Back to the May 2024 issue of ACP IMpact

More I.M. Internal Medicine Profiles