Feranmi Okanlami, MD, MS

Dr. Okanlami is a 2017 graduate of Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program.  He joined us in a non-traditional manner, after sustaining a spinal cord injury while in his orthopedic surgery residency at Yale.  He credits Memorial for his reintroduction into medicine after this tragic accident left him paralyzed from the waist down and unable to operate as a surgeon.  His unique circumstance helped us to have a lens for accommodations necessary to help all of our residents succeed and we were able to transform two exam rooms to be accessible for providers in wheelchairs.  He now serves in various leadership positions within the country in addition to holding many leadership and academic appointments at the University of Michigan.  Nationally, he serves as the Disability Issues representative on the Steering Committee for the Group on Diversity and Inclusion at the AAMC, and the National Medical Association’s Council on Medical Legislation. He speaks around the country on topics related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, including, but not limited to the lack of black male physicians and creating a health system that is accessible and inclusive to both patients and providers with disabilities, and has been featured on CBS News, Fox News, PBS News Hour, and MSNBC’s Morning Joe.  He is leading efforts to create an adaptive sports program, providing access to physical fitness and recreational and competitive sports for all.