“I would definitely choose this specialty, and this program, over and over again.”
Itegbemie Obaitan, MBBS, MPH, who goes by “Ite” (Ee-tay), is enthusiastic about gastroenterology.
He was initially drawn to the field, and particularly to endoscopy, while in medical school at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. After earning an MPH in Quantitative Methods at Harvard and then spending two years as a research coordinator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, he moved on to a residency program at the University of Minnesota, where his interest deepened.
The more time he spent around gastroenterology fellows and attendings, the more he “fell in love” with the specialty–and his time IU has only reinforced that, he said.
“This is a fantastic training program with excellent teachers; great exposure to various gastroenterology conditions; a warm collegial atmosphere; and is home to the largest volume pancreaticobiliary center in North America, which is my particular area of interest now,” he said.
The feeling is mutual: Obaitan’s colleagues and mentors in the program are just as enthusiastic about him.
“He is a wonderful clinician and even more a wonderful person,” said Nabil Fayad, MD, director of the gastroenterology and hepatology fellowship program. “He is a model physician–he always has a positive attitude, and never complains even in the most difficult circumstances.”
Evan Fogel, MD, who is Obaitan’s faculty adviser, described him as “a joy to work with.”
“He is bright, caring, charismatic, a quick learner, and always willing to take the extra step to ensure a good outcome for his patients,” Fogel said.
Obaitan has a robust publication record, but said he most enjoys the procedural aspects of his work.
“I really enjoy being in the endoscopy suite. We have gifted endoscopists here at Indiana University, and that is something I aspire to,” he said.
But it isn’t all work for Obaitan, who says the first thing he does when he gets out of bed is play Wordle, “the 2022 game that has taken the world by storm.”
Additionally, he is a newlywed (“I just got married to the most amazing woman in the world!”), reads approximately two novels a week, and describes himself as a “huge” soccer fan.
“I love Manchester United to bits. They're going through a rough patch right now, but I'm hoping that turns around soon!” he said.
