UCLA Journal of Radiation Oncology SUMMER 2024 - Flipbook - Page 83
UCLA RADIATION ONCOLOGY JOURNAL
MEDICAL PRECEPTORSHIP
M AT T H I A S O J O
E: When did you first become interested in
service. From volunteering at foodbanks, to
medicine?
community service events, or disaster relief
M: My interest in medicine sparked when I was
nine. It initially grew from a personal experience
in losing a sibling due to underserved medical
care and a fatal, but preventative missed
diagnosis. My motivation to pursue a career
as a physician is driven by my desire to make
significant contributions to the medical field to
prevent other families from enduring the pain
that I saw my parents endure from the loss of
their first son. My mum noticed my interest in
science and health, and while we were all in
Goodwill one day, she bought the book Gifted
efforts, my parents instilled a servant’s heart in
me from a young age. My interest and passion
for medicine just happened to be where I felt
purposed and led to serve.
E: A requirement of the Preceptorship is
pairing with a physician mentor within the
department prior to application. How did you
pursue this mentorship? Who did you match
with?
M: I have a strong interest in prostate cancer
disparities in black men and in increasing efforts
Hands and gave it to me as a summer read. The
rest was history. Studying biology and health
sciences in college deepened my fascination
with disease complexities and the potential
of medicine to treat and prevent illnesses. My
passion was solidified as I discovered how
medicine combines scientific knowledge
with compassionate care, offering a profound
opportunity to make a positive impact on
patients' lives."
in clinical trial inclusion of black men and
E: How did your upbringing influence your
M: I am particularly fascinated by the role of
education/career path?
brachytherapy in the treatment of gynecologic
M: I spent the first seven years of my life in
cancers. Brachytherapy offers a unique
Nigeria, and I was blessed to have parents who
advantage in delivering a highly concentrated
emphasized the importance of education and
dose of radiation directly to the tumor while
men of color. I was able to see that a lot of my
research interests matched up with the ongoing
work that Dr. Valle has also been researching. In
applying to this program, I expressed my interest
in exploring prostate cancer disparities, and I
was matched with Dr. Luca Valle.
E: What diagnosis/treatment site and/or
treatment technique are you interested in
learning more about?
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