Hope Ukatu, MD

Name: Hope Ukatu, MD

Hometown: Roseville, MN

Undergraduate: Cornell University in Ithaca, NY

Hobbies: Reading, drawing, painting, sewing, cooking, and exercise.

Languages you speak: English, (a little) Spanish, and (even less) Igbo.

Furthest I've traveled from home: Thailand!

Favorite activity in the Twin Cities: River tubing, live music, eating my way down Nicollet Ave.

Specialty: Neurology

Why I chose this specialty: Name an organ or system more complex, dynamic, and amazing than the human brain. I'll wait...

Why Medicine: As an American-born Nigerian, I became intimately familiar with the stark differences in resources available here in the states versus in my parents' home country. Those differences are often a matter of life and death, and I grew up in an environment where reminders of this were painfully frequent and close-to-home. News of yet another family member, friend, or neighbor dying unexpectedly of preventable or easily treatable illness remains commonplace. This inspired me from a young age to pursue a career in medicine, where I might contribute to efforts to improve access to quality healthcare both at home and abroad.