In memoriam: Stephen Njau

Second year medicine resident Dr. Stephen Njau tragically passed away on July 19 while kayaking on Lake Washington.

Prior to joining our residency program, he served nearly a decade as a medic and later as a General Medical Officer in the U.S. Navy, most recently at Naval Station Everett. He demonstrated unwavering dedication to service, including providing medical care in remote areas of the Pacific, mentoring high school students in Baltimore, or leading medical teams with compassion and integrity.

His journey to medicine was shaped by a profound sense of purpose. In his personal statement to our program, he wrote about the importance of trust in healthcare, and the quiet, persistent work of rebuilding that trust one patient and one conversation at a time.

He believed that service meant truly knowing the people you care for and fighting for them, even when the system made it hard.

“Stephen brought warmth and humor to our community and his presence was a gift to all who had the privilege of working alongside him,” said Program Director Dr. John Choe.