Black mother and daughter graduate together from medical school, placed at the same hospital

Dr. Cynthia Kudji, left, and her daughter Dr. Jasmine Kudji smile while wearing their white coats.Courtesy of Dr. Jasmine Kudji

New physicians Cynthia Kudji and her daughter Jasmine Kudji checked their emails March 20, Match Day, and didnโ€™t expect to set two records. That morning, both have been placed at Louisiana State University Health to complete their residency training โ€” one of the first times a mother and daughter matched with the same hospital after graduating from medical school at the same time.

โ€œWe were so excited,โ€ Jasmine, 26, said. โ€œOur life has never been planned, and you never know whatโ€™s going to happen. It was one of the best moments of my life.โ€

Cynthia, a Ghana native, immigrated to the United States with her family when she was two years old. It was during a family trip back to Ghana where Cynthia, 17 at the time, was inspired to become a doctor. There, she saw how egregious health conditions were when a woman she didnโ€™t know asked her to treat her ill child.

โ€œIt jolted me because her only form of health care was a complete stranger,โ€ said Cynthia, 49. โ€œI thought, โ€˜You know what? What can I possibly do to change that, leave an impact, and make a difference?โ€™โ€

Dr. Cynthia Kudji, left, and her daughter Dr. Jasmine Kudji proudly display their residency placements at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans.Courtesy of Dr. Jasmine Kudji

While Cynthia went to the University of Medicine and Health Sciences in the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, her daughter attended Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans.

Being apart was difficult at first for both of them.

โ€œWe really are each otherโ€™s best friends and we constantly rely on each other,โ€ Jasmine said. โ€œMedical school is not set up to work by yourself.โ€

Their mother-daughter bond was only strengthened while simultaneously attending different medical schools โ€” whether it was staying up late together studying for a test over Skype, calling each other with questions about a patientโ€™s diagnosis, or crying about the compounding stress of the program.

Now, moving forward, theyโ€™re excited to be reunited for their residency programs at Louisiana State University Health — Cynthia is planning to train in family medicine while Jasmine will pursue general surgery.

This is Black Girl Magic!!

โš ๏ธ Make sure to Like Us ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿพ on Facebook using the widget below so you donโ€™t miss out on new stories like this. โฌ‡๏ธ



What do you think?

Don't Miss

Starbucks bans employees from wearing anything in support of Black Lives Matter

Atlanta Police Fatally Shoot Black Man in Wendy’s Drive-Thru