My first thoughts of being an OBGYN came when I found myself unexpectedly pregnant with my son. I was senior in college and expecting a child became the most challenging experience of my then 20 years. Being a young, single mother was a stark contrast from my upbringing as the oldest child of one of our small Indiana town’s few Black doctors. 

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Pregnancy is supposed to be one of the most exciting times in a woman’s life, but for many reasons, my first pregnancy proved to be an isolating, difficult, and humbling walk. Thankfully, visits with my OB helped me find new meaning and purpose in my experience. Compassion, warmth, and support translated into feelings of empowerment that sustained me through my pregnancy. It is what helped fuel me to graduate from college on time and continue my life’s dream of becoming a physician. 

 

While my non-traditional student status posed challenges, I knew that I was neither the first nor the last woman to attempt such a feat. Motivated by seeing the value in sharing new balancing act (newlywed, newly med, and parenting a toddler) and looking for an easy way to keep my family updated on our adventure, during my first month of medical school, I began to document my journey on my blog, “The Mrs. The Mommy. The M.D.” Creating MMMD satisfied my love for writing, but also, I found that it was a forum that allowed me to connect with and encourage others who were under the impression that the dance of professional aspirations with family life was an untouchable fantasy. I have always been candid about my experiences as a Black woman, wife, and mother as I moved from being a trainee to "grown up" physician. Since my first post, the MMMD blog and its social media accounts have grown beyond anything I could imagine, and still serves to inspire young professionals to pursue their dreams, educate the public on health disparities, and highlight why we should all be fighting for health equity. ​

 

In maternal-fetal medicine, I found my place and passion: caring for birthing people in the midst of the uncertainties of a complicated pregnancy. My most fulfilling experiences as a physician have not only been helping my patients navigate high-risk pregnancies, but also using my platform and research to fuel advocacy efforts.  It is evident that the solutions we seek to end racial and ethnic health disparities will not be limited to strategies in the exam rooms, but will require innovation and intentional, calculated efforts across multiple systems in our country. No matter the size of your "platform", we can all be a part of the change we seek.