We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chinwe Efuribe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chinwe below.

Alright, Chinwe thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

It has been seven months since I started my own private pediatric clinic. I am amazed by how many dots needed to connect, by strategy or serendipity, for me to fulfill this 10-year-old dream. From celebrating each exciting milestone of our business growth to finding creating solutions to the challenges of entrepreneurship, I can still say it’s been worth the risk to practice medicine more meaningfully. At Centered Youth Clinic and Consulting (CYCC), we utilize team-based, trauma-informed approaches to provide direct primary and specialty care for newborns through to young-adulthood. The main steps that led to creating CYCC involved: embracing a mindset shift that I could start my own practice, identifying valuable skillsets in myself and others, and integrating youth-centeredness as a core value in how deliver healthcare. Some of the challenges we face are not foreign to start-ups in general: How to sustain capital, nurture human resources and maintain valuable services. Things I would have done differently are very minimal because as a woman of faith, I believe that all things work together for good. The only one regret I have is that I was convinced to make a purchase I knew I wasn’t ready for and received zero return on investment. From that experience I urge young professionals to trust your instincts on a deal, resist pressures to accept anything against your better judgment.

Chinwe, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a Nigerian-American Pediatrician with over 16 years of clinical care experience across the globe in various clinical settings. Beyond the United States, my time spent caring for patients in the United Kingdom, Africa, and Canada allowed me to develop a cross-cultural approach to pediatric health care and promotion. After working in group practice and community health centers, I founded Centered Youth Clinic and Consulting (CYCC) to create more youth-friendly health spaces and coach adolescents to take charge of their health. The clinic provides direct primary and specialty care services with community partnerships for positive youth development. CYCC also offers training opportunities for clinical teams seeking to enhance skills in adolescent contraceptive counseling and procedures.

I enjoy leading intergenerational, multidisciplinary teams in various settings to create new systems for improved outcomes. I have expertise integrating youth engagement into the infrastructure of youth-serving organizations. As a former church youth ministries director, I established processes for youth engagement in programs promoting wellness of the mind, body and soul for adolescents. I have also developed youth engagement initiatives for the Society for Adolescent Health Medicine, Austin Black Physicians Association, Texas Youth Friendly Initiative, Adolescent Health Initiative, and American Academy of Pediatrics.

I am board-certified in Pediatrics & Lifestyle Medicine, fellowship-trained in Adolescent Medicine, and obtained a Master of Public Health in Community Health Promotion. I also serve as the Title X Medical Director for Every Body Texas. Personally, I love to laugh and am grounded by my faith. I love to innovate as a community-builder whose love languages are acts of service and quality time.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

There is one book that I highly recommend any innovator to read. The book is called “Switch: How to change things when change is hard” by Chip and Dan Heath. These best-selling authors skillfully shed light to how individuals or groups of people can make lasting changes. Their use of data and inspiring stories dramatically shifted the way I approach problems in any setting, personally and professionally. The framework they use is based on the idea that most decisions we make in life are based on competing agendas between our rational and emotional minds. For example, a great idea can come from a passionate experience, however, without a cognitive approach to operationalize that idea, passion isn’t enough for success. In addition, when we align our passions with plans, the daunting task of motivating others to contribute requires a path to be paved that makes the plan more feasible. This ultimate trifecta of passion. plan and path will forever be in armory for facing challenges head on.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

A wise woman once taught me that we don’t always find the wisdom we seek on our own. We will need mentors/caregivers who can give us a bird’s eye view of how to reframe our perspectives so that we embrace opportunities for growth. It’s ok to sit with feelings…don’t fight them. When we take time to assess whether we are growing or remaining stagnant, we should move those feelings aside so that our mind can process next steps toward healing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.centeredyouth.com