As a fellow in developmental behavioral pediatrics, Dr. Dami runs continuity clinics and rotates through other departments that are also involved in the care of children with developmental/behavioral needs.
As a young girl growing up in Nigeria, Dr. Dami Omoniyi’s journey to becoming a physician was sparked by her natural curiosity.
“I loved to ask questions,” she recalled. Initially drawn to engineering due to her love for math, Dr. Dami realized during secondary school that she preferred a career that involved critical thinking and problem-solving in a way that impacted people directly.
“My favorite board game at the time was Cluedo,” she said. “I liked the idea of being able to offer solutions to human problems. I thought I would always get clear-cut answers in medicine, but little did I know how broad the field is.”
Dr. Dami attended the College of Medicine at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She completed her pediatric residency at Lagos University Teaching Hospital. After completing her residency, she pursued a master’s in health care policy and management at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. Her drive to improve access to health care for children was a major motivator.
When Dr. Dami was considering where to do her fellowship she said she was drawn to Akron Children’s multidisciplinary setting and diverse patient population as well as the warmth of the people she would be working with.
“In my clinical practice, I saw the challenges many children faced in accessing health care, so I wanted to level the playing field through inclusive health policies,” she said.
Upon returning to Nigeria, Dr. Dami became a technical advisor for the Pediatric and Adolescent HIV program funded by the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. After three years in that role, she returned to clinical pediatric practice, where her interest in developmental pediatrics grew.
“I noticed many children with developmental challenges and few resources or providers to refer them to,” she said. “Also, many people I know had loved ones with developmental needs, so there were many questions around what to do and where to seek help. So, I decided to pursue training in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP).”
When reflecting on the differences between practicing in the U.S. and Nigeria, Dr. Dami points to the availability of resources and cultural differences in family settings.
Dr. Dami’s quest for specialized knowledge led her to Akron Children’s, where she joined the DBP fellowship program. She learned about the opportunity through a friend who shared a link. The program’s multidisciplinary setting and diverse patient population drew her in. “The warmth of the people I would be working with was another big factor,” she said.
During her fellowship, Dr. Dami has rotated through different departments, learning formal assessments and evaluations for conditions like autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, developmental delays and intellectual disabilities.
Dr. Dami runs continuity clinics on Mondays and Wednesdays and rotates through other departments that are also involved in the care of children with developmental/behavioral needs on other days of the week – giving her a broad view of what services are available and each person’s role as part of the multidisciplinary team.
“I have benefited from trainings on formal assessments and evaluations needed to make diagnoses in DBP,” she said. “The program underscores the importance of clinical observations and critical thinking in addition to formal assessments in making diagnoses. Also, the importance of teamwork and empathy is emphasized.”
Dr. Dami hopes to use her training to provide clinical care, contribute to medical education, and advocate for better developmental pediatrics care, especially in underserved areas.
When reflecting on the differences between practicing in the U.S. and Nigeria, Dr. Dami points to the availability of resources and cultural differences in family settings.
“There are more health care resources available in the U.S. than in Nigeria and this affects the level of health care that can be provided,” she said. “Also, there are cultural differences in family settings and childcare practices which tend to influence the provision of health services.”
As for her future, Dr. Dami hopes to use her training to provide clinical care, contribute to medical education, and advocate for better developmental pediatrics care, especially in underserved areas. “The training I’m receiving is equipping me to serve children with developmental and behavioral needs,” she said. “I hope to provide clinical care, build the capacity of other pediatric providers and contribute towards medical education in this field in Nigeria and globally.”
Learn more about Akron Children’s Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship.
