Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Mohammed.
Amanda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Since I was a child I’ve managed to cultivate my vocation and in doing so I’ve found myself all over the world. Whether that was helping triage hundreds of patients that stood in lines outside of a primary school in Kenya, building a home alongside a family in a remote region of El Salvador, or working in Argentina diagnosing Chagas disease with local physicians and nurses. I’ve been fortunate enough to gain a unique global understanding of medicine in different stages of my life. My passion in medicine is founded in my ability to serve needs not only locally but internationally. I think this is central to any provider and has certainly helped shape the type of physician I am to date. I don’t just treat the condition, there is a holistic approach to medicine that is often overlooked. I’ve found that by having this approach I’ve not only connected more deeply with my patients but established a level of trust that goes beyond any prescription I could write. Even without knowing a patient’s language, I have been able to utilize resources within their own communities such as local health care workers and religious leaders, to establish a means of connection regardless of circumstances that transcended initially perceived boundaries. Medicine isn’t easy but it is in these challenges that I have found my greatest opportunity to strengthen my abilities to engage in community with others while being mindful of various forms of tradition, culture and beliefs. These are the many things that can not be taught in any academic setting but instead have to be experienced with intention.
Being able to represent my patients by listening to their stories, struggles and experiences while maintaining a patient-physician relationship that is centered on trust and impacting their lives in a positive way has always been my goal.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My medical school training was not traditional. I lived on the island of Dominica in the Caribbean for 16 months. Most only know of this island simply from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean but it’s also the setting of where I faced various obstacles yet achieved more than I could have ever imagined.
Yes, I bought kilowatts of electricity daily from the local grocery store, carried buckets of water from the main campus when my water was mostly brown in color or I didn’t have any at all, and numerous roosters served as my alarm clock daily, which inevitably helped ensure I wasn’t late to class. But I wouldn’t change my time there for anything. The experience was challenging and although at times I feared being unable to succeed in obtaining residency, I continued to look ahead and strive towards my goals. Despite circumstance and preconceived notions about an atypical path in medicine, I am thankful I didn’t fall victim to these thoughts because it allowed me to be where I am today. I matched into my first choice for residency in Dallas and now I am practicing in outpatient medicine while still doing advocacy related projects in the community.
Please tell us about EFMPhysicians.
Empowering Female Minority Physicians was created to help young students on their journey towards successful careers in medicine. I want to be able to help guide other young women of color to succeed. What better way to empower other women than to support one another.
I will help you by brainstorming a career path. Throughout this process, we will review your resume – discussing ways to have your CV stand out, tips for your interview, crafting a personal statement and more.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Traveling as a child with my parents to various countries but specifically in Jamaica when I was around 8 or 9 years old. That trip shaped the reason why I went into medicine and created the catalyst for my passion surrounding global health.
Contact Info:
- Website: EFMPhysicians.com
- Email: amanda@efmphysicians.com
- Instagram: Dr.mandamo
Image Credit:
Leighton Strait
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
