Since high school, Chidera and Chidalu Anameze have wanted to become doctors. Now, they are embarking on their medical journey together at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo (UB).
The Anameze sisters are one of three pairs of twins that are part of the class of 2027. The school believes this is the first time three sets of twins have enrolled in the same class in its 177-year history.
“Embarking on a career in medicine with a loved one who is going through the same journey with you will make it all the more powerful and memorable,” says Dr. Allison Brashear, vice president for health sciences at the University at Buffalo (UB) and dean of the Jacobs School. “I think the entire class is going to benefit from the unique perspectives of our Jacobs School twins.”
Chidera and Chidalu, who are identical twins, graduated from UB in May and have been tackling their education as a united front since elementary school.
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"We have been in the same schools since we were little girls and we’re going to do medical school together,” says Chidalu. “It’s just easier for us: We are better together."
The twin’s journey into medicine started during high school when they participated in a New York state program that allowed them to do rotations shadowing different types of physicians in fields as diverse as medical ethics, anatomy, chronic disease and nutrition.
Their father, who is a practicing internist, also inspired them to go into medicine.
“Our father immigrated from Nigeria and was so dedicated to helping people that he continued his career in upstate New York,” says Chidalu. “We are open to staying in New York and practicing medicine,” says Chidalu.
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They chose UB for their undergraduate degrees because it was a good distance from where they live near Albany — not too close and not far — it’s affordable and it’s big.
“We fell in love with UB the second we stepped onto campus,” says Chidalu. “We liked how big it was, since we came from a big high school, and it’s like Albany, kind of the same weather. It reminded us of home.”
Applying through UB’s Early Assurance program, they found out they were accepted to the Jacobs School in their sophomore year. As undergraduates in the UB Experiential Learning Network, they have conducted research on maternal and infant health.
While it’s still too early to tell what specialty they will choose, Chidalu is currently interested in OB/GYN and dermatology and Chidera is interested in OB/GYN and gastroenterology.
As far as inspiring more people of color to pursue careers in medicine, the twins think it’s important to do outreach to young students as early as middle school and high school.
“This could look like outreach programs where medical students visit middle schools and high schools to share their experiences, motivating young students and showing them that people who look like them and have the same experiences as them are in medical school,” says Chidalu.
