Patients R Waiting

Meet Dr. @Nd Ekpa! From Franklin & Marshall College (Class of 2015) to Penn State College of Medicine, through his Internal Medicine residency at HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood, and now practicing as a hospitalist in Corpus Christi, TX—Nd’s journey is inspiring. As one of the first students supported by PRW at F&M, he’s stayed connected, giving back and helping guide future healthcare professionals coming through the pipeline. We’re so grateful for his dedication to supporting the next generation! ?? #PatientsRWaiting #PipelineToMedicine #MentorshipMatters #DiversityInMedicine #IGiveExtra #ExtraGive

Meet Nicolle Asprilla, an alumna of Rutgers University, a future doctor on her way to medical school ?? As a part of our Summer Research in OBGYN Program in collaboration with Dr. Abike James and the OBGYN Department at Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, in 2022 Nicolle spent her summer contributing to research in Urogynecology with Dr. Uduak Andy. During this experience she also gained important clinical experience for her medical school application, grew her network, and even toured Penn State College of Medicine, their simulation lab, and Penn State Life Lion. Hear Nicolle reflect ton how this experience has shaped her journey and reignited her passion for a career in medicine. We are so proud to be part of her story. ????????

Shoutout to Dr. Raushaun Williams, Family Medicine Resident at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, for being a part of the PRW community! Since matching at LGH, Raushaun has embraced the power of primary care in improving health outcomes for birthing people. During his time with us he’s felt reaffirmed to consistently show up as his most authentic self in every clinical setting. Thank you, Raushaun, for your volunteer hours and contributions—your work inspires us, and we can’t wait to see all that you’ll continue to accomplish! ?????? #PrimaryCareMatters #PipelineDreams #PipelineToMedicine #GenderAffirmingCare #CommunityHealth #PatientsRWaiting #HealthcareEquity #ExtraGive #IGiveExtra

We’re so proud of Ahnyia Sanders, now a first year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School! Her journey with PRW started at Franklin & Marshall College, where she got involved on campus with MAPS (Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students). She soon joined our MCAT prep and pre-med advising, and even collaborated with Dr. Hamblin to launch a doula program at UMass Memorial Medical Center after training in our Diversifying Doulas Initiative. Now well on her way to pursuing a medical career in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ahnyia is already making an impact—and we’re excited to keep cheering her on! ???????????? #DiversityinMedicine #PipelineToMedicine #PipelineDreams #DiversifyingDoulas #ObGynFuture #PatientsRWaiting #ExtraGive #IGiveExtra

The Diversifying Doulas Initiative is a tradememarked doula training program of Patients R Waiting Since 2020 we have been training Doulas and launching them into support of families. This work began as conversations about our feelings of futility as OBGYNS in the #maternalhealthcrisis Dr. Sharee Livingston and Dr. Cherise Murphy talked, planned and plotted on how they could make a difference. Thankfully, like always, Dr. L was well connected with amazing people. Amazing people like Rae Johnson-Bundy, Pam Lilith, CNM, and Wendy Trees MS, CD(DONA), CLC, FACCE, LCCE, LEC were there in the very beginning, plotting and planning with us. We got initial support from The Lancaster County Community Foundation, Touchstone Foundation and later UPMC Pinnacle Foundation and Jewish Healthcare Foundation to make our Lancaster program robust, impactful and reproducible. Now DDI is on the move!!! Cohort 5 is based in Worcester, MA. With support from UMass Memorial Medical Center, 14 Worcester community members were selected to become DDI trainees. They went through rigorous training with Doula Right Thing Services, LLC. for 8 weeks. They had their hands on training with NIKIA LAWSON, Doula trainer for DONA International and they will continue to have the PRW community to support them. The UMass Memorial Health Doula Program is focused on improving the outcomes and experiences of Black birthing people at UMass Memorial Health. Massachusetts Medicaid (MassHealth) covers doula services and about 40% of all births in Massachusetts are covered by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. By starting with those most impacted, UMass hopes to see measurable impact. PRW is thankful to UMass for seeing the vision and engaging PRW to train up their doula workforce. We would like to thank the The Iacocca Family Foundation, Shields Foundation, The New Commonwealth Fund Fund & Greater Worcester Community Foundation for their generous support of the UMass Memorial Health Doula Program. https://lnkd.in/erjwsbsx #healthequity #blackmaternalhealth #igiveextra #diversifyingdoulasinitiative

Our first doula training at UMass Memorial was a huge success! This weekend, doulas who completed their 8-week online program came together for two hands-on days led by doula trainer Nikia Lawson. Together, they deepened their skills, built community, and prepared to support birthing people and combat the maternal morbidity and mortality crisis in their communities. The Diversifying Doula's Iniative is a program of Patients R Waiting, Inc. We stand by it. It's a brand name ?? We are training maternal health #changeagents We are equipping social justice warriors. We are launching reproductive justice activists. ?????? The UMass Memorial Health Doula Program is focused on improving the outcomes and experiences of Black birthing people. Learn more at UMMHealth.org #DoulaTraining #UMassChan #HealthcareHeroes #PatientsRWaiting #MaternalHealth #DoulaSupport #DiversityinMedicine #ExtraGive #IGiveExtra

Last night, Dr. Christopher Emdin himself logged onto our October What the Health book club meeting discussing his book Ratchetdemic: Reimagining Academic Success. Together, we explored how rethinking academic success connects to reshaping healthcare. Hear his perspective on the parallels between education and medicine??????????? #Ratchetdemic #WhatTheHealth #ChrisEmdin #EducationAndHealthcare #AcademicSuccess #HealthcareReimagined #PatientsRWaiting #DiversityInMedicine #MedicalEducation #IGiveExtra #ExtraGive #InclusiveHealthcare

“Every now and again I take a beat and get in my feelings. There are so many memories in these photos and so many lives touched. PRW has the honor and privilege to support people on their journey to the bedside. Whether it is sponsoring you to go to a conference, bringing you to a talk or helping review your essay, it is our pleasure to help you recognize the value that you bring to medicine and healthcare. Reading Ratchetdemic: Reimagining Academic Success by Christopher Emdin has me feeling reflective and affirmed. Young people hold genius and if we are not careful, this genius can be stifled by the process of education. Medical education can be brutal. It shouldn’t be, but it is. We owe it to our patients to do better. That is what we strive for everyday.” – Dr. Cherise Hamblin, Founder Patients R Waiting Come discuss education and supporting students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine tonight Wednesday 10/30 at 7pm EST for our October Health Equity Book Club meeting. Join us at the link. bit.ly/WTHbookclub

Sunday Dinner hits different when you have a meet up?? If you know you know! For those of you in Worcester, check your email for the invite or DM Collaborative in Health Equity at UMass Chan For those elsewhere, pull up on zoom at bit.ly/PRWCommunity for our monthly check-in. We will be focusing on medical school applicants and residency applicants at our upcoming call on Sunday, Nov 3rd at 7pm. If you are waiting on interviews, this call is for you! If you have no idea what this process looks like, this call is for you!! #diversityinmedicine #blackmeninwhitecoats #doctorsintraining #medicalschool #medschoolapplications #residency #thematch

Today, our very own Dr. Sharee Livingston took the stage at American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) District III Junior Fellow Day, inspiring the next generation of obstetrician-gynecologists! She shared her journey, her leadership with @patientsrwaiting’s healthcare pipeline programs, and the powerful impact of the Diversifying Doulas Initiative. With roles as Department Chair at UPMC Lititz, Healthcare Subcommittee Chair on Governor Shapiro’s Commission on Women, and a member of the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee, Dr. Livingston’s commitment to advocacy and maternal health is paving the way for a more inclusive healthcare future. ???? ?#HealthcareHeroes #WomenInMedicine #MaternalHealth #PatientsRWaiting #DiversityInMedicine #ACOG #ExtraGive #IGiveExtra