When Jickssa Gemechu, Ph.D., left Ethiopia, he didn’t imagine it would be 13 years until he returned to see most of his family and visit his alma mater.

But that’s exactly what happened when he recently returned to the country for a month.

The associate professor in OUWB’s Department of Foundational Medical Studies spent time catching up with family. He also volunteered two weeks to teach at the same school he once attended as a young student.

Gemechu packed a lot into the month, but there was one moment that clearly stood out.

“I was talking with some students and they told me they wanted to learn from my journey…they said ‘You were like us some years back and now you’re at a different place. We see you as a model and want to learn from your experiences,’” he said.

Gemechu said it allowed him to spend time reflecting on his path — the rollercoaster of life — and offer advice based on those ups and downs and how he came to be part of the faculty at OUWB. 

“It was emotional,” he said. “I can still see the faces of the students…it was great.”

‘I knew I had to study medicine’

Gemechu was born in Ethiopia and raised in Ambo, a town 77 miles away from Addis Ababa. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in anatomy from Addis Ababa University, which is in the African country’s political capital.

In 2004, Gemechu joined the Hawassa University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences. The medical school also was in Ethiopia, about 140 miles from the capital.

Though he had previously done some teaching at different levels, Hawassa University was his first full-time experience as a faculty member teaching in a medical school.

Teaching was something to which he had always been drawn. Gemechu said his father spent his life in education and administration and included his son in different tasks when he was younger.

“He would ask me to present in front of him or family members,” said Gemechu. “And I always asked him how he was preparing for the different tasks he was accomplishing…teaching, public speaking, administration, and so on.”

While in high school, Gemechu said he developed a love of medicine, too.

His father also factored into that interest.

“He had asthma and was suffering,” said Gemechu. “We discussed the causes, what makes it severe, how it can be controlled. When I saw how he was unable to breathe and struggled and how the medicine gave him so much relief, it touched my heart.”

“I knew I had to study medicine and help others,” he added.

‘Ideal for me’

Gemechu worked at Hawassa University for five years. During that time and while he was a postgraduate student, he presented his research findings at IBRO Neuroscience Conferences organized in several African countries. During one of the presentations, he met a professor in neuroscience who liked his work and suggested he apply for the Ph.D. program at the University of Verona in Italy.

Gemechu said he made it through the “rigorous competition” and was accepted. He received a full scholarship. He earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience. (And he still can speak Italian.)

He stayed at the University of Verona as a post-doctoral fellow before he had the opportunity for another post-doc opportunity at Wayne State University in Detroit. His wife already was in the U.S., so he took it and after about a year-and-a-half, joined OUWB in early 2016.

“OUWB has been ideal for me,” he said.

“I’ve had the opportunities to teach, pursue scholarly activities and research, and get involved in different levels of service.”

“I feel like I’ve grown up with the school,” he added.

At the OUWB Honors Convocation in May 2024, Gemechu was awarded the Foundational Medical Studies Excellence in Teaching Award.

“It is an honor to be recognized for my contribution to teaching at OUWB,” he said.

Just two days earlier, he had returned from Ethiopia.

‘I was so happy’

Since leaving Ethiopia, Gemechu has kept connections to the country more than 7,000 miles away. 

One way he’s remained in touch is through colleagues at Addis Ababa University. Gemechu has co-authored several articles with them.

Looking to give back to the school where it all started, he asked if there were any opportunities for him to volunteer while he was there in April.

“They said they were desperately looking for someone who can help them teach a CNS (central nervous system) module,” he said. “They sent me a module description and I told them I could do it in two weeks.”

He was able to teach at the university after being named an adjunct professor.

Gemechu said the experience not only created the potential for collaboration with faculty and students on future projects but left him with “a strong feeling of satisfaction” and gratitude.

“I was so happy to do that,” he said.

For the other two weeks that he was in Ethiopia, Gemechu spent time with his family. Among other things, the family went to Wenchi Lake, a beautiful volcanic crater lake located about 100 miles west of the country’s capital city. 

Gemechu smiles when talking about the visit because apart from a few visits from his mother over the years, he hadn’t seen any of his brothers, sisters, and other family members.

“They were so happy…I can’t tell you how happy my mother was about it,” he said. “The time I spent with family was so great.”

He’s also “so grateful” that OUWB allowed him to go back to Ethiopia for a month.

“The support I got from the administration was so great, I would like to thank them for giving me this opportunity,” he added.

For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, marketing writer, OUWB, at [email protected].

To request an interview, visit the OUWB Communications & Marketing webpage.

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