Osmund Agbo, MD

Osmund Agbo is a pulmonary physician.

When men falling behind unravels families and futures

Physician

June 15, 2026

Shortly after midnight on April 16, 2026, a terrified teenage boy placed a 911 call from inside his family’s residence in Annandale, Virginia. Moments later, police officers arrived to encounter a scene of unspeakable devastation. Cerina Fairfax lay dead from multiple gunshot wounds, while the body of her estranged husband, former Virginia lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax, was later discovered upstairs in what authorities described as an apparent murder-suicide following an …

Why billionaires dress like college students

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

November 14, 2025

You notice them wherever they go. The new titans of industry dressed like college kids on their way to class. Recently, I saw a picture of Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, in a plain cotton T-shirt and nerdy trousers. With his overgrown beard completing the look, he resembled a man emerging from months deep in the jungle after a survivalist contest. Then there is Mark Zuckerberg, perpetually clad in …

The stoic cure for modern anxiety

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

October 7, 2025

Our one and only daughter has gone off to college. My wife and I dropped her off the weekend before. As we made the four-hour drive from Houston to Baton Rouge along I-10, the road stretched ahead, both endless and fleeting, as if time itself were torn between holding on and letting go. Between bursts of laughter and quiet silences, we spoke of classes, friendships, boys, the discipline of focus, …

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The stoic cure for modern anxiety

Why embracing imperfection makes you truly unforgettable

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

July 30, 2025

I love comedy clubs. Always have. My wife calls them my happy place and she’s not wrong. Although I haven’t had the opportunity to attend one recently, I often find myself immersed in stand-up clips from the likes of Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Kevin Hart, and a constellation of other comedic virtuosos. Back in the pressure-cooker days of my residency training in New York City, those clubs were my sanctuary. …

How truth depends on where you stand and what you see

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

July 26, 2025

As yet another tragic chapter unfolded in the intractable and ever-escalating Iran-Israel conflict, I found myself in the midst of conversations, intense, impassioned, and sometimes uncomfortably raw. The participants weren’t diplomats or scholars. They were ordinary people, men and women, brown and white, Jews and Arabs, Muslims and Christians, all fiercely devoted to their own perspectives, each convinced they were defending not merely an opinion but the truth.

One particularly striking …

Life’s detours may be blessings in disguise

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

July 15, 2025

This past weekend, my wife and I made our way to Winnipeg, a sleepy town nestled in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The occasion? A family celebration. My niece and her husband had just welcomed a beautiful baby girl, and they insisted, almost reverently, that my wife become the godmother. It was a request we could not, and frankly, did not want to, refuse.

Winnipeg, or “Winterpeg” as some Canadians jokingly …

What Elon Musk and Diddy reveal about the price of power

Osmund Agbo, MD

Conditions and Diseases

July 2, 2025

I remember those days well. Long before the era of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, another Hollywood “power couple” captivated the world: Jennifer Lopez and Sean “Diddy” Combs. J.Lo brought the glamour and Latin flair, while Diddy embodied the swagger of hip-hop’s reigning bad boy. Their union was a bold fusion of Latina sass and African American pop culture, a sizzling romance that lit up the entertainment world.

Diddy wasn’t just another rapper …

How smartphones are stealing your focus—and what you can do about it

Osmund Agbo, MD

Conditions and Diseases

April 28, 2025

Over the past two months, I embarked on a mission to complete two reading tasks: A journey in service, the autobiography of Nigeria’s former military dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida, followed by Dream count, the latest work by the world-renowned writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Unfortunately, I have barely progressed beyond the opening chapters of either. My focus, the essential ingredient for deep reading, has remained elusive.

I first realized the extent of …

Why brutal honesty often backfires and what to do instead

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

March 10, 2025

A few years ago, I visited my brother and his family while I was still in school. I had run out of cash and needed to top up before starting our end-of-semester exams. My sister-in-law, a virtuous woman well-loved in our family, invited me to join her and my brother at the wedding of one of her close friends. As we were getting ready to leave, she pulled me aside …

Why friendships fade: Understanding the seasons of life

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

March 5, 2025

Recently, a close friend of mine reached out, expressing his frustration over our mutual friend, who, for some time now, has ignored his calls and messages. We spoke at length, the conversation charged with emotion, and the underlying theme of our exchange led me to reflect deeply on the nature of friendships in adulthood. I have decided to share these reflections.

John and Darrel (not their real names) were two best …

How AI and quantum computing are revolutionizing the future

Osmund Agbo, MD

Health Technology

February 4, 2025

In the lead-up to the recently concluded U.S. presidential election, Elon Musk, the celebrity tech billionaire and the world’s’ richest man, officially endorsed Donald Trump. While Musk was full of praise for the former president, Grok, the AI chatbot he owns, had a starkly different perspective. When asked about Trump, it described him as “a convicted felon, conman, rapist, pedophile, fraudster, pathological liar, and wannabe dictator.” Ouch!

While Grok is Mr. …

Michael Bloomberg’s $600 million donation to Black medical schools sparks major change

Osmund Agbo, MD

Medical Education

September 3, 2024

Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former New York City mayor, has once again demonstrated his commitment to equality and social justice. Through his Bloomberg Philanthropies, he announced a monumental $600 million donation to four historically Black medical schools in the United States. This follows his Greenwood Initiative’s $100 million gift in September 2020, aimed at reducing student debt for these institutions.

Other major donors have also made significant contributions to HBCUs. MacKenzie …

Capturing the parent-child bond through music

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

June 18, 2024

When Luther Vandross released Dance with My Father in May 2003, he was hospitalized, recovering from a stroke. Despite his condition and minimal promotion, the song quickly became one of the most requested tracks of the time. Its profound emotional impact resonated widely, earning Vandross accolades for Song of the Year and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 2004 Grammy Awards.

Vandross was just eight years old when his father …

Pain management for Black patients and painful realities

Osmund Agbo, MD

Conditions and Diseases

May 23, 2024

This piece is inspired by my recent patient encounter. Within the past week, I received a call from the ER to admit a 29-year-old African-American female whom, for the sake of this essay, I will call Keisha. Keisha presented with severe lower abdominal pain and was found to be in hypertensive crisis. Her systolic blood pressure consistently was in the upper 200s. It turned out that the young lady suffered …

From struggle to success: inspiring tales of resilience

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

May 3, 2024

For a man whose name is synonymous with genius, it’s hard trying to imagine Albert Einstein as a prodigal son whose father died believing he was a complete failure. Yet, at school early in his life, he skipped classes and made close to failing grades. Legend has it that he was so uninspired by his own performance to the extent that, at some point, he considered dropping out and pursuing …

Navigating family skepticism: a physician’s dilemma

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

April 24, 2024

As I stepped into the hospital waiting room, the anxious eyes of family members greeted me, their worry palpable as they awaited news about their ailing patriarch. Quickly, I introduced myself and delved into the heart of the matter.

“I wanted to talk to you about your father’s condition. It’s not easy news, but I need to be honest with you. Despite our efforts, your father’s brain suffered irreparable damage during …

Medical ethics in a changing world: Navigating identity and patient care

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

April 20, 2024

My buddy John and I fortuitously found ourselves enacting roles in an impromptu theatrical production last week. As medical practitioners, the thematic essence was predictably centered around matters concerning patients. The scene unfolded thus:

“So, this person’s name is Emily, but her pronoun is ‘they,'” John started. “She identifies as a therian belonging to the Elf theriotype. Emily explained to me that though she was born human, she is an inseparable …

Wendy Williams’s battle with health and the fragility of success

Osmund Agbo, MD

Conditions and Diseases

March 26, 2024

Lifetime recently premiered the documentary Where is Wendy Williams? This four-part special delves into the captivating life and career of Wendy Williams, the once dynamic 59-year-old American broadcaster, media personality, and writer. Renowned for hosting the nationally syndicated television talk show, The Wendy Williams Show, from 2008 to 2021, Williams has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.

The documentary follows Williams’s journey to revive her career after health concerns …

Cryonics: advancements, ethics, and skepticism

Osmund Agbo, MD

Health Technology

March 19, 2024

Scientists have transitioned from crafting flying contraptions capable of moving massive payloads through unfriendly skies to exploring the vast expanse of the cosmos, affirming that the concept of impossibility holds no sway over their endeavors. Yet, their ambition now surpasses earthly confines as they endeavor to replicate the divine feat of Lazarus’s resurrection on a monumental scale. This profound aspiration propels neuroscientists into the captivating realm of cryogenics, igniting a …

Reconsidering love: a multifaceted approach to marriage

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

March 6, 2024

Over the years, I’ve fervently professed my love to my wife of 18 years, believing her to be the most beautiful soul in my life and our bond unbreakable. While this holds true, recent experiences have prompted me to reconsider the notion that love alone sustains a marriage.

This reflection stemmed from a couple we encountered in Upstate New York years ago. Obi (not his real name) and his wife seemed …