Shirlene Obuobi, MD

Dr. Shirlene Obuobi is a Ghanaian-American physician, cartoonist, and author. She completed her undergraduate education at Washington University in St. Louis and has subsequently received the rest of her training at the University of Chicago, where is currently completing her Cardiology fellowship. Dr. Obuobi is also the originator of the popular @shirlywhirlmd comics on Instagram, which cover a range of topics, including identity, healthcare disparities, and the rigors of medical training. Her comics were influential in depicting to the public what it was like to serve on the frontlines of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and were prominently featured in both international and national galleries.

She is currently a regular contributor for the Washington Post's WellBeing section, and her work has also been featured in the  Lancet, JACC (Journal of the American College of Cardiology), and Medscape.  Her debut novel, ON ROTATION, was published by Avon/HarperCollins in June 2022, was the July 2022 Book of the Month pick for Marie Claire, and has been featured in outlets such as TeenVogue, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, and recently, on Good Morning America. When she’s not in the hospital (and let’s be honest, even when she’s in it), she can be found drawing comics, writing on her phone, and talking for far too long about her three cats.