Shirlene Obuobi is a Ghanaian-American physician, cartoonist, and author who grew up in Chicago, Illinois, Hot Springs, Arkansas and The Woodlands, Texas.
Born in Ghana, Obuobi came with her family to the United States when she was 6 years old and attended Washington University, St. Louis, MO, for undergrad. She has always had a passion for creating and is a self-taught artist and writer. Obuobi was drawn to the field of medicine, and specifically cardiology, because of the connection she could have with patients and their families.
Her comics, which have focused on the challenges of being a Ghanaian-American woman in medicine and the challenges of medical school, have gained nearly 38,000 followers on her Instagram account. Her comics have been featured in UChicago Medicine, Proto Magazine and the Medical University of Vienna’s Art, Action, Attitude/Body exhibit.
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 obsessing over her three cats. She currently lives in Chicago, where she is completing her cardiology fellowship. Her debut novel, On Rotation, has been featured on national outlets such as Teen Vogue, the Washington Post, and Good Morning America. Her latest novel, Between Friends & Lovers (July 2024) is a story of love and friendship in the age of social media—where what you see might not be all you get.
