Ikenna Okereke, MD

Biographical Statement

Dr. Okereke grew up in Detroit before going to Johns Hopkins University for his undergraduate degree.  He attended medical school at Washington University in St. Louis, completed residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and then fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Dr. Okereke specializes in lung and esophageal disease.  He performs almost every surgery minimally invasively and has been named to the Super Doctors list for 6 consecutive years.

Dr. Okereke started the Okereke Foundation in 2013 to provide care and education to communities in need, and he has dedicated his life and career to this cause. In 2016, he began a mentorship program with underrepresented high school students, which continues today.

Titles

• Vice Chairman, Department of Surgery
• Director, Thoracic Surgery
• Program Director, Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship Program

Care Philosophy

"I have extensive experience, and a passion for work to reduce health disparities and working with high school students - dedicating my career to helping those in need. As a former Detroiter, my passion is to help our community and go beyond our walls at Henry Ford to increase the health of all."

Research Interests

Dr. Okereke has an active basic science lab which studies the esophageal microbiome and its association with disease.  Dr. Okereke has had NIH funding for several years in his lab.

Dr. Okereke also performs research on disparities in healthcare in Michigan and across the country.  Dr. Okereke has over 100 peer-reviewed publications in his career and is one of the most-often published investigators in Detroit.

Awards & Honors

• Crain's 2023 Healthcare Hero
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award, 2019
• Editorial Board, Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery