Student Spotlight: Wanjiru “Chiru” Rwigi Finds Joy in Medicine & Mentorship

Medical student and recent National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) scholarship recipient Chiru Rwigi shares what sparked her passion for women’s health, mental wellness and mentorship.

Twelve years ago, there was a lot of uncertainty in the life of Wanjiru “Chiru” Rwigi. She had just transferred to UC Davis as an undergraduate pharmaceutical chemistry major and was already questioning her goal of becoming a pharmacist when she found out she was pregnant.

“That was a really rocky time for me,” says Chiru, now a third-year student at the UC Irvine School of Medicine interested in obstetrics and gynecology. “I was suddenly an expectant mom and trying to navigate everything on my own, and my OB doctor wasn’t really giving me supportive care.”

Looking back, Chiru credits her own experience for sparking her passion for women’s health and mental wellness. After taking an anatomy class and volunteering in a student-run clinic, she eventually found herself on a new path as an aspiring physician and student mentor.

“I can’t lie and say all of this has been easy,” says Chiru. “Juggling medical school as a single parent is hard sometimes, but I have a lot of family support, and the work still excites me every day!”

Chiru was also excited to receive a scholarship from the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), in collaboration with National Medical Fellowships (NMF). She was one of just 20 students nationwide to earn the 2026-2027 NBME/NMF scholarship of $10,000, renewable for up to three years, which recognizes medical students committed to serving their communities.

“The financial help alleviates a lot of stressors,” says Chiru. “I was shocked, surprised and very grateful.”

Recognizing Gaps in Care

During her pregnancy, Chiru says she wasn’t taking prenatal vitamins and hadn’t scheduled any follow-up appointments. “I wasn’t taking care of myself,” she says, “and the one person who could have changed that at the time was my OB doctor.” Chiru now feels lucky to be alive.

“I say that because I see a lot of Black women, or even Hispanic women, who go through pregnancy and do everything right but still have a bad outcome,” she says, referring to higher rates of preeclampsia and maternal mortality among Black women.

A desire to change those outcomes through more supportive care is what drew Chiru to medicine — and to UC Irvine, with its Programs in Medical Education Leadership Education to Advance Doctoring – African, Black and Caribbean (PRIME LEAD-ABC).

“LEAD-ABC is a mission-based program targeting the diverse needs of African, Black and Caribbean communities, which really hit home for me,” she says. “That’s why I chose UC Irvine.”

As someone born and raised in Foothill Ranch, Calif., Chiru was also thrilled to return to Southern California, so she could be closer to family. “My dad used to take me to visit UC Irvine, because it was the closest UC school,” she recalls. “He told me I’d go to school here one day. I actually lost my dad a few years ago, so the fact that I’m at UC Irvine is a full circle moment.”

As Chiru prepares to work in medicine, she hopes to address the gaps she experienced in her own pregnancy care, prioritizing both physical and emotional well-being.

“Not many birthing folks will go in and seek mental wellness while they’re getting their checkups, but that’s something I want to highlight — and not just recent topics in the news like postpartum psychosis,” she says. “Simply asking, ‘Are you feeling supported at home?’ or ‘Do you have a birthing plan?’ at check-ins can make a huge difference.”

A Passion for Mentorship

While working in obstetrics and gynecology is one goal, Chiru would also love to be a dean of student affairs. After graduating from UC Davis, she spent more than five years working in student affairs at Stanford University.

“I found a lot of joy in connecting students to what they want to do,” says Chiru, who continues to mentor students in a variety of ways. She is a Medical Students as Teachers (MSAT) tutor through ZotUnity, a program offering career advising, tutoring and wellness support.

She is also a mentor through the Guiding Hands program, which pairs medical students with interested undergraduate students, and through Pathways to Health, which equips first-generation and underrepresented students with research, leadership and mentorship.

As co-director of the 2025-26 weeklong PRIME Academy, she helped pre-med students gain knowledge, skills and hands-on experience. As a volunteer for the Black PEARL (Promoting Equity Anti-Racism and Love) project, she recently co-directed a lactation documentary with another LEAD-ABC scholar, Femitan Ajayi.

And she just became the co-faculty coordinator for the Association of Women Surgeons. “I’ll be strengthening relationships between students and faculty members, so students will have someone to shadow, someone who can offer support and possibly help them conduct research,” she says. “I’m very excited because I love mentorship in all capacities.”

Striking a Balance

Each day, Chiru looks forward to learning and growing as a physician. “Waking up at 5:30 in the morning for a 12-hour rotation is not a struggle at all, ever,” she says, though she admits that a Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino from Starbucks helps.

“I do enjoy it!” she says. “I bring my own cup, and it’s what I call my ‘bougie’ chocolate milkshake.”

Another thing she enjoys is art classes with her daughter. “We like artsy activities, like the ‘Fluid Bear’ at Shot of Art,” a hands-on workshop where artists can pour and swirl acrylic paints over a designer bear figurine to create a custom marble-patterned sculpture.

On days when Chiru is at the hospital or needs time to study, she’s very aware of how that affects her daughter. “It’s a balance,” she says. “There are days I can’t show up to my fullest self as a mom, but I always promise to make it up to her with a weekend outing.”

And her words of advice for others hoping to follow in her footsteps?

Chiru likes to tell students that it can’t just be about the money. “There has to be a deeper meaning for you to come back to the hospital every single day,” she says. “I hope your reason is to check in on the patient who had a hysterectomy, because you genuinely want to make sure they are OK.”

She has a few other tips as well.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, and stay focused on what brings you joy,” she says. “This journey is long, and it’s never-ending, because you’re always learning.”

She also stresses the need for a strong support system, crediting her stepmother, Paula, as an important source of support. “I’m really grateful to have had a wonderful father and stepmother who have always been there to encourage me and remind me that I can do this,” she says. “If you don’t have someone in your corner, then I’ll try to be available to check in and let you know that you got this! No one should have to walk their journey alone.”

Chiru’s own goal is to continue combining her passion for medicine and mentorship. “I would like to stay in an academic health system, working on both the clinical and educational sides,” she says. “I want to pass on my joy for medicine!”

— Shani Murray