Faculty Spotlight

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Zim Okoli

Dr. Okoli is a psychiatric nurse who works with patients with severe and persistent mental illness. He is also a part of the BH WELL faculty team. He is interested in finding programs to help the long-term health and wellbeing of patients with mental health illnesses. It is important to note that mental illness is a unique and complex challenge that no one chooses for themselves. Those with mental illnesses do not have access to as many resources such as funding or research. Dr. Okoli is passionate about keeping patients stabilized after leaving the hospital so they maintain a healthy lifestyle and remain well long term. He strives to ensure that these patients do not “fall through the cracks” in the medical healthcare system. The challenge is to do good science while also doing relevant work. A piece of advice he has found most helpful is that many people will convince you to join their research team but you must stick to your own passion to have a long lasting career. He is inspired by Dr. Ellen Hahn who researches health policy with a concentration on tobacco use and has helped develop smoke free laws in Lexington.

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