Dr. Misse Harris wants to be the first black "Bachelorette." Is America Ready?

Dr. Misse Harris, a 28 year old dentist from Tennessee (who is currently completing a residency in pediatric dentistry), wants to be the first black "Bachelorette." But is the American public ready for a black "Bachelorette?"

It's kind of a funny question, but when you think about it, it's a really good one. A better question might be: after 8 seasons of the show, why hasn't there been a culturally diverse "Bachelorette" already?" As a matter of fact all of the 8 "Bachelorettes" thus far have been white. A lot of people might not think that's a huge deal but speaking in terms of demographics, the image being portrayed on the "Bachelorette", which is watched by millions of viewers, does not accurately depict the multicultural and beautifully diverse fabric of America.

Well, Dr. Misse Harris intends to do something about this predicament. She has even started a social media campaign to garner support from the public.

Check out her credentials:

"Additionally, Misee Harris is filled with a desire to give back to under-served communities. She does just that by engaging in medical mission trips to the Appalachian mountains to provide children with dental care, mentoring young women in her community and working with autism-related charities. "

She sounds very impressive, just like the previous "Bachelorettes" who were also very accomplished women in their own right. By putting a successful black woman on a highly publicized dating show as the main love interest, (not just a token black contestant or comic relief) the producers of the "Bachelorette" would be portraying a black woman as desirable and worthy of the attention of about 30 successful men from different ethnic backgrounds. A show doesn't have to tell us that, we all already know that ;-). But the problem lies in the fact that there are a great deal of women and young girls who do not see positive, strong, successful images of themselves being depicted on TV. That is why this is important.

Interestingly, according to theGrio.com, 10% of all black married women in America are in interracial marriages. So the idea of a diverse group of men competing for the heart of Dr. Harris should not really be that far from reality TV, in fact it's becoming more of a reality everyday.

When asked by Entertainment Weekly why there is a lack of diversity on the show, The Bachelor/ette creator Mike Fleiss said:

"I think [Season 7 bachelorette] Ashley is 1/16th Cherokee Indian, but I cannot confirm. But that is my suspicion! We really tried, but sometimes we feel guilty of tokenism. Oh, we have to wedge African-American chicks in there! We always want to cast for ethnic diversity, it's just that for whatever reason, they don't come forward. I wish they would."

Really? Wow. Seeing as how the show was just sued for racial discrimination we doubt there is a paucity of people from other races who are interested in being the main interest on the show.

Here are Misse Harris' reasons for wanting to be on the show:

"I realized that being the bachelorette would give me a better opportunity to find love and a stronger platform for all of my creative dreams and charity work," Harris told [the Grio] in a phone interview. "It also would allow me to inspire other black women and girls to dream big and know their worth."

Sounds like a good reason to us. What do you think?

Check out her campaign here: https://www.facebook.com/MiseeHarris4TheBlackBachelorette

Immortal Woman

Our next feature for black history month is not a physician, but a phenomenal woman who has made many of today's medical advances possible. 

                   

Henrietta Lacks (August 1, 1920- October 4, 1951) was born in Roanoke,Virginia and moved to Baltimore, Maryland after marriage. In 1951, she started experiencing abnormal bleeding and felt a "lump" in her stomach. Heading to Johns Hopkins Hospital; which was one of the few hospitals in the area that served black patients, she was seen by Dr. Howard Jones who discovered a mass on her cervix. The mass was biopsied and later diagnosed as Stage 1 cervical cancer. 

Mrs. Lacks began radiotherapy for the cancer, and while undergoing treatment had several of her normal and cancerous cells removed without her knowledge. The cells were taken to a laboratory and studied by scientists who realized something amazing; they wouldn't die. The cells multiplied and eventually started their own continual lines, even under conditions other harbored cells couldn't survive in. Lacks eventually succumbed to her cancer but parts of her lived on.

                             

Now known as the "HeLa Cell Lines", Henrietta's cells were used for numerous research projects and even aided in the development of the polio vaccine. The cells have been mass produced and shipped around the world for countless scientific pursuits. Unfortunately all of these discoveries with Henrietta's cells were unknown to her family until the 1970's, when researchers contacted them asking for blood samples and genetic assays. In 1996 she and her family were recognized by Morehouse College of Medicine and the city of Atlanta, Georgia for their contributions to medical research. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot was written in 2010 and became a New York Times Bestseller. 

Many questions have arisen as to how Henrietta Lack's cells could have been taken without her consent or knowledge. Unfortunately most answers point to social and racial injustice (many of which still occur in the health field today). She has since received several posthumous awards and recognition but that fact that a 31 year old woman's body parts were taken without her knowing is still heartbreaking. Henrietta Lacks gave the gift that keeps on giving, an opportunity for others to benefit from her own sacrifice. She may no longer be alive to hear this, but to Mrs. Lacks, we thank you. 

Source: Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

             Henrietta Lacks

Married To Medicine, or Drama?

There has been a lot of stir in the medicine world about Bravo's new show "Married to Medicine" and we knew we just had to put our two cents in. The official website describes the show as a look into "the fast-paced and drama-filled social scene of Atlanta's exclusive medical inner circle". It follows 6 Atlanta based women; only 2 of whom are actual physicians (Dr. Simone Whitmore and Dr. Jacqueline Walters), the rest being MD wives.



There are already online petitions to end the show, one run by current black medical students. The reason for the petition as one student describes is "the show will leave the stain of unprofessionalism and cattiness on the image of Black female doctors for years to come." Now I for one love to indulge in reality tv once in a while, but this one really hits close to home. The American (and world wide) television audience already has a poor perception of black women due to ever popular reality shows like Real Housewives of Atlanta and Love & Hip Hop. And the days of sitcoms showing images of positive black families like Moesha and Family Matter are behind us.  Gone are the days of Claire Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad) holding down the workplace and home in a graceful manner as an MD wife.

                                          


 As previously said on Ohemaa's MD, African American women make up only 1.9 percent of physicians in the United States. You would think that if anything, our 15 minutes of fame will be used to display the social, financial, and intellectual perks of being a physician. It should be an avenue of encouragement to young viewers to pursue a career in the sciences. Specifically, it should focus on what's most important- the patients. But that wouldn't bring ratings, now would it.



I am interested to see if Married to Medicine will also show the hardships of living a life in medicine. Will it show the doctor's being woken up at 2 am due to a crisis in the hospital, or the physicians working longer than anticipated because a patient has an emotional breakdown in the office? Will it portray the sacrifices to your own family in order to help others? Or will it be just full of the cattiness, fights, and Versace sunglasses we know reality divas love? I don't want to jump to conclusions; maybe it will actually cause tons of women to desire a career, or marriage *insert sarcasm* in medicine. All publicity is good publicity, no?


The show premieres March 24th at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo and we will def be tuning in (if we're not working of course).

See the trailer below.

                              

You can view the petition here:
Remove Married to Medicine

Will you be watching?

BEYA Global Competitiveness Conference

It was my great pleasure to attend the Black Engineer of the Year Awards in Washington, DC recently. The BEYA organization, whose motto is Becoming Everything You Are, was founded to not only recognize black engineers who are trailblazers in their field, but also to encourage young people to go into science, technology, engineering, and math (the so called STEM careers).

In fact, a large number of youth were in attendance and took part in the conference by presenting new developments engineered at their respective academic intuitions and attending a career fair with very desirable companies to work for. The conference took place over 3 days and boasted seminars about leadership development, science, public health, diversity, inclusion and professional development. CEOs, Presidents, VPs and top executives from Fortune 500 companies and the top STEM organizations in the world were in attendance.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability

At the BEYA conference you are also in the company of 4 star generals, admirals and U.S. senators who are all there to recognize engineers who have largely contributed to their fields. I recall one such engineer who grew up in a war torn country in Africa, taught himself calculus from a math book he found and through great perseverance is now being recognized as one of the Black Engineers of the Year in front of over a thousand people in our nation's capital! Stories of personal triumphant were the theme of the Award Gala and although I was out of my medical element, this conference and the tenacity of the award recipients served me well as motivation to do the very best I can in my own field.

If you or any young people you know are interested in engineering make sure you check out BEYA.org.

America's Doctor

The next physician we want to honor during Black History Month is Vice Admiral Dr. Regina Benjamin, or as we like to call her,

The Surgeon General of the United States

 

Hailing from Mobile, Alabama, Dr. Regina Benjamin completed her medical degree at Morehouse School of Medicine and her family medicine residency in Macon, Ga.

With a passion for preventative health Dr. Benjamin has spent most of her career increasing awareness on how to avoid diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes. As the founder and CEO of the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic in Bayou La Batre, Louisiana she has worked tirelessly to provide health care to those who need it most; rebuilding the clinic even after it was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina.

In July of 2009, Dr. Benjamin was nominated by President Barack Obama to be the 18th U.S. Surgeon General, and was confirmed by the United States Senate in October 2009. In January 2010, she released her first document, entitled "The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation, where she discussed the obesity crisis and provided a blueprint on how to take on the issue. She has also notably brought to the Nation's attention many key health issues including suicide prevention, tobacco use in youth, the prevention of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, and  breastfeeding.

Many Americans know Dr. Benjamin from her "Don't Let Your Hair Get in the Way" Campaign. Tailored towards women, in particular African-American women, the campaign highlights a huge barrier to getting fit; not wanting to mess up your hair. The campaign focused on women taking their health into their own hands, and finding different hairstyles to promote both beauty and health.The campaign even introduced a contest for the best gym-ready hairstyle


We salute Dr. Regina Benjamin for putting the Nation's health first, and working hard to serve all Americans.

Go 'head, girl!

Sources: Surgeongeneral.gov;Regina Benjamin

Thank You

Being that it's Black History Month, we knew it was only right to pay homage to African-American physicians who have paved the way for us and made significant impacts in the world of medicine.

First up is Dr. Charles Drew

Dr. Charles Drew (1904-1950) was born and raised in Washington, DC and received his MD degree at McGill University in Montreal, Canada and a Doctorate of Medical Science degree from Columbia University. During World War II, Drew was recruited by Great Britain to set up a blood storage and preservation program for military personnel. He designed and administered a program where large quantities of blood products were collected, tested for contamination, and transported. Once done with this project, Dr. Drew transferred to New York City where he worked for the Blood for Britain project. Here he ensured sufficient amounts of blood were collected for British soldiers and civilians. Out of Dr. Drew's work collecting and managing blood products, the American Red Cross Blood Bank was formed. Dr Drew resigned after a legislative ruling that the blood of African Americans would be segregated. Drew continued to work as a professor of surgery at Howard University until his untimely death as 1950.

The Heart Truth

 

Every February, during American Heart Month, the National Institutes of Health takes a stand against the #1 killer of American women- Heart Disease. 

The campaign focuses on educating women of all ages about the risk of heart disease and the importance of taking preventative action. Often times people think heart problems are a "man's issue", but you'll be surprised to know that 1 in 4 women in the United States will die of heart disease. 80 percent of women between the ages of 40-60 will have at least one risk factor for heart disease which include

•  High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Coronary artery disease/ high cholesterol
• Being overweight
• Being physically inactive
• Having a family history of early heart disease
• Age (55 or older for women)
• Smoking and alcohol use

Another risk factor many women don't consider is simply not having enough time! To often than not, we are busy with our career and taking care of a home to even consider putting our own health in the forefront.

Unfortunately minority women are at an even higher risk of heart disease due to having higher rates of risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and physical inactivity. Disparities in getting quality health care is also a problem.

Celebrities join in the fight with The Heart Truth's annual Red Dress Collection fashion show. Kicking off New York Fashion Week, not only is it a chance to see some of our fave celebs in beautiful dresses, but it also gives them a chance to tell why heart health is important to them.

CNN reporter Soledad O'Brien looked gorgeous in a Black Halo Eve gown

Today Show host Savannah Guthrie

Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas

Ms. Douglas had some keen words of advice; "Eat protein, stay active and eat healthy.” For a history-making athlete that may seem easy to do, but Douglas emphasizes it takes a lot of work, even for her.

Hot Mama Chris Jenner strutted her stuff

Ms. Kelly Osborne

Toni Braxton strolled down the catwalk to her song "Unbreak My Heart"

Ms. Braxton had this to say "Sometimes it’s challenging practicing self-care, because [as] women, we tend to forget about ourselves" ."But sometimes there are signs and symbols that say, 'hey, get yourself checked out, take a little break.'" For her, those red flags include chronic fatigue and elevated blood pressure.

TV personality Wendy Williams

Tips to Keep Healthy

• Build a bond- even in your 20's and 30's it's important to create a personal relationship with a physician. Seeing your doctor at least once a year and having a thorough checkup will increase your awareness of your own health and personal risk for heart disease. 

• Know your family history- if either of your parents, grandparents, and even aunts or uncles have heart disease this may increase your risk, especially if they developed it at an early age

• Sweat It Out- by now, we all know the beenfits of regular exercise. Not only will it help you lose or maintain healthy body weight, but it will also decrease cholesterol (bad fat), one of the leading causes of heart disease

• Love Yourself- taking your health into your own hands, especially at an early age will set you on the right path for optimal health. 

For more information head over to The Heart Truth
Photo Credits:msn.com

Graduation!!!! (The 1.9%)

Thanks to the support of family, friends and God we walked across one faithful stage in June 2012 as MDs!

Graduation stage full of faculty and doctors selected by graduates to "hood" them.

 Time to celebrate with our loved ones!!!

Now we are apart of the 1.9% of doctors in America that are Black women.

The Re-invention and Re-introduction of Ohemaa's, MD

The VERY first Ohemaa's, MD Banner

A lot has happened since our last post! The BIGGEST event being our GRADUATION from medical school. We are officially MDs now and we are loving every minute that we get to spend living a DREAM we held onto for so long. It's by no means easy, but it's POSSIBLE and it's REWARDING.

The second Banner.

This blog really started out as a way to stay connected with our family and friends while we were away in Ghana last summer, BUT we were also HOPEing to "Inspire Someone" along the way "to Follow a Path Paved with Their Dreams" like we were following a path paved with our dreams of becoming doctors and giving back to the land that birthed our heritage...AFRICA!!!! Then something amazing happened while we were overseas...our HOPE became more real as we started to hear from YOU!

You told us about how excited you were to follow our journey and that somehow you were galvanized to start, finish or re-invigorate your own journey! Now with readers in 6 different continents we are getting back to business and re-affirming the HOPE that we have. The new banner really says it all....

Our current banner!

You will notice a new look, but you will also notice that we have DIVERSIFIED our interests. We strongly believe that one career does not define who someone is as a person. We have dreams, ambitions and goals inside and outside of medicine and we hope that you have passions without limits too. We have set our sights on healthy living, paying it forward, inspiration, the grind --> ventures that lead to the acquisition of wealth and most importantly keeping God first!!!

Stonehenge in England

We would really love for you to accompany us on this journey as we work, learn, love, live and DREAM!!!