Tell us about yourself.
I was born and raised in Ghana, where I lived with my family until the age of 18. In 2015, I moved to the US to study at Hope College in Holland, Mich. There I studied chemistry and worked closely with an organic chemist, Dr. Elizabeth Sanford, and neuroscientist Dr. Peter Vollbrecht, both of whom guided and stimulated my research interest. I proceeded directly to the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, where I worked closely with the Neurosurgery Department under the mentorship of Drs. Pablo Recinos, Varun Kshettry and Michael Steinmetz before recently matching into neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic.
Describe your experience at the Lerner College of Medicine.
It has been transformational. I have appreciated how readily available faculty mentors are across the enterprise. I truly feel like the Cleveland Clinic family took me in as one of their own from day one and helped me grow in all aspects of my life.
Which academic aspects have you enjoyed?
I really enjoyed the flexibility of the curriculum and the way it is structured. In addition to my medical degree, I was able to pursue a master's in medical humanities and bioethics, which is a great blessing because I have a vested interest in topics such as physician-assisted death and dignified death. The opportunity to complete a year of research and take on a master's level thesis from idea conception to final manuscript helped me grow tremendously as a researcher.
Describe a stand-out moment.
During one of our Brainstormers sessions with low-income students at John Hay High School, I was humbled and encouraged to see a first-year student recall from an earlier session the basic symptoms of stroke and next steps to take for someone with symptoms. Working with these students has been meaningful to me because it allows me to engage with students from similar backgrounds as my own and get them excited about the neurosciences, medicine and various career paths they may not have been exposed to.
Describe your research project.
My main project, which won the best basic science abstract at the North American Skull Base Neurosurgery Society meeting, involved peritumoral edema in secretory meningiomas. Our goal is to better understand the factors that predispose this low-grade meningioma to develop such severe edema that significantly affects patient morbidity and mortality. If we can understand which proteins or factors may be implicated, perhaps we can intervene and improve patient outcomes.
What about your education best prepared you for your future?
CCLCM has prepared me to be very comfortable interacting with patients and dealing with unknown and unnerving situations. The longitudinal clinic experience helps develop this confidence through early clinical exposure and an opportunity to develop our communication skills.
What advice do you wish you had received prior to starting the program?
It's okay to experience imposter syndrome; everyone does. There are resources available to help you through it, and you will find your way. Trust the process!
What advice would you give to someone thinking about applying to the program?
I genuinely believe this is the best medical school program in the country. If you envision yourself in a place where you are pushed to be inquisitive, prioritize patient well-being and always strive to be the best version of yourself, then CCLCM is your home away from home.
What goals did you set for yourself while at CCLCM?
My goal was to find my community. I wanted to develop trusting relationships with my classmates, the CCLCM family and the entire Neurosurgery Department. I wanted to be viewed as a reliable member of the team. The community here made it easy to achieve this goal.
Who is your favorite musical artist?
Black Sherif.
How do you spend your free time?
I enjoy being outdoors hiking or backpacking. I enjoy driving out to the various Cleveland Metroparks to unplug and recharge. My favorites are the Hinckley and Bedford reservations, especially Bridal Veil Falls.
Fun fact?
I’m a dad of two cats, Scout and Mozzie, and I grew up on (and still have) a small farm back home.
Read more about Derrick’s involvement in the Brainstormers program.
