Akachukwu Nwakoby, BHSc
SPECIALTY AND TITLE
Medical Student at University of Toronto
HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS
St Michael’s Hospital
UNIVERSITY AFFILIATIONS
University of Toronto
AREA OF RESEARCH
My most recent area of research involves the use of mentorship based programs to increase interest in cardiac surgery among under underrepresented minority groups. These programs are geared towards high school students as they are at a critical age where their future direction can be influenced in a positive way. Some of my other areas of research include the use of mobile health technology to improve patient self management of heart failure and post-operative outcomes of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.
MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE AND/OR HEALTH CARE DELIVERY
Worked with Dr. Yanagawa and medical student Lina Elfaki to spearhead the Next Surgeon: Cardiac Anastomosis High school Mentorship Program. This program is the first in Canada to provide mentorship in cardiac surgery to high school students from medically underrepresented backgrounds. I also developed the HFAPPQ which is one of the first self-administered patient questionnaires to elucidate what factors are important to patients in relation to the development of health care mobile applications. The HFAPPQ is currently undergoing validation through a cross-sectional study.