Honoring Black History Month
Throughout Black History Month, we are elevating the experiences of our African American board-certified anesthesiologists and candidates for certification and their role in advancing the highest standards of the practice of anesthesiology.
Learn more about our featured board-certified anesthesiologists and candidates for certification below.
Interested in sharing your story on our website and social media? Contact us at coms@theaba.org.
Michael On’Gele, M.D.
Michael On’Gele, M.D., candidate for certification
“I will always be a patient advocate for those individuals undergoing complex and high-risk procedures and provide the best care I can to help get them through surgery.”
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Michael On’Gele, I was born in Washington, D.C., and I am a native of Largo, MD. The majority of my life has been spent on the East Coast, but after completing my residency at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, I was fortunate to move to the West Coast and pursue fellowship training in Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology (ACA) at Stanford University.
Upon completion of my fellowship training July 2024, I will be moving back to Washington, D.C., to start my career. I will take the APPLIED Exam this spring, the final step in the board-certification process, and sit for the Winter 2024 ACA Exam.
What would you like to share about your personal journey and experience?
My journey through medicine and anesthesiology has been a marathon and very rigorous, but what has been the most rewarding for me is the friendships and experiences gained along the way. Education has allowed me to experience a life I never knew was possible for someone who has experienced the trials and tribulations I have endured. But I am reminded daily that this is where I am supposed to be.
I have trained at some of the best intuitions for medicine (Duke, Penn and Stanford), but the best decision I have ever made thus far was choosing to attend Howard University for my undergraduate studies. Howard University laid the foundation for success during a critical point in my life, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
Why did you choose to pursue anesthesiology?
Very early on in medical school, I fell in love with the operating room environment and, through more exposure, fell in love with anesthesiology. I knew this would be the best fit for me. I enjoy the complexity of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and various general surgery procedures. I like the technical aspect of placing and interpreting invasive monitors and now utilizing transesophageal echocardiography to guide management in the operating room.
I look forward to devoting my career to mentoring underrepresented minorities in medicine and medical education within anesthesiology. But most importantly, I will always be a patient advocate for those individuals undergoing complex and high-risk procedures and provide the best care I can to help get them through surgery.
KaNisha L. Hall, M.D.
KaNisha L. Hall, M.D., board-certified anesthesiologist
“I wanted to be a patient advocate. I wanted a rewarding career where I could truly make a difference.”
Tell us a little about yourself.
It all began in Shreveport, Louisiana. I was born and raised in Louisiana. My parents always preached the importance of education. I am a proud graduate of Howard University College of Medicine. I am the first woman in my family to attend medical school.
After medical school, I returned home to Louisiana to train and practice anesthesiology. Currently, I am a traveling physician. I am licensed in over a dozen states and have been exclusively traveling for the past seven years.
What would you like to share about your personal journey and experience?
Dr. David Holliday was the first Anesthesiologist to introduce me to our specialty. In the early 2000s, in my clinical rotations at Howard University Hospital, Dr. Holliday told me that I would be needed more than ever in labor and delivery. His statements really resonated with me, and these words were spoken way before we had hashtags or the Vice President telling us to pay attention to the disparities of Black women and other disenfranchised demographics. I consider my career a blessing and an opportunity to care for so many who may have felt forgotten. Today, labor and delivery is still my happy place. It’s the one place in the hospital where it’s always someone’s birthday.
Why do you value board certification?
I value the standards and principles that bring awareness about our specialty. Most importantly, I love the assurance that those physicians who complete certification value patient safety. I love the support the ABA provides to board-certified anesthesiologists who want to educate the public about our commitment to care, safety and improving outcomes.
Why did you choose to pursue anesthesiology?
I wanted to be a patient advocate. I wanted a rewarding career where I could truly make a difference. Recently, my patient called me a vessel for second chances. I always want to be a vessel for care, relief and healing.
Bola Onayemi, MSc, M.D.
Bola Onayemi, MSc, M.D., board-certified anesthesiologist
“I’m now a mentor for Black medical students and residents so I can continue to be that encouraging voice for Black trainees looking to pursue a career in anesthesia.”
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m from Ontario, Canada and did my anesthesia training in New York City at Mount Sinai St Luke’s and West hospitals. I’m also fellowship trained in regional anesthesia and did my fellowship at the University of Toronto – Toronto Western Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.
I’m currently an attending anesthesiologist at Lincoln Hospital Bronx, New York. I have been a board-certified anesthesiologist since 2022.
What would you like to share about your personal journey and experience?
My journey through medical school and anesthesia training had many ups and downs, but it was made tolerable and even enjoyable by the people in my program who became family. I and the other Black residents were intentional about building each other up and encouraging each other to be the best anesthesiologists that we could be. I’m now a mentor for Black medical students and residents so I can continue to be that encouraging voice for Black trainees looking to pursue a career in anesthesia.
Why do you value board certification?
Board certification keeps me involved in the developing world of anesthesia, helps me stay up to date on current practice and involved in the betterment of anesthesia care for all patients.
Why did you choose to pursue anesthesiology?
I chose to pursue anesthesiology initially because I love the pharmacology and physiology involved in the practice. I love working with my hands and doing procedures. I also love meeting patients and easing both their pain and their nerves. I like that the practice of anesthesiology is a rewarding career that gives me the flexibility to live a full life outside of work and pursue my other passions and interests.
