He/Him/His
What are your career goals?
I hope to become a full scope family physician who focuses as much on the health of the individual patient as I do on the health of the communities in which my patients live.
What attracted you to the Duke Family Medicine Residency Program?
I am a native of Durham and was born in what is now Duke Regional Hospital. I grew up in this area and have watched it grow and develop, for better or for worse. The thought of coming home and giving back to a place that has given me so much was very appealing. Additionally, and most importantly for me, I chose Duke not only because it emphasized community development and activism as central to creating health but embodied those principles in its history, its identity, and its clinical practice. No program is perfect, of course, but I knew by choosing Duke, at the very least, ideas and thoughts pertaining to social justice and community building would not be foreign concepts and that there existed a foundation on which I could help build.
In your opinion, what makes Duke Family Medicine special?
From its PHIT projects and community health curriculum and its network of community partnerships and clinics to the residents and faculty it recruits and employs, I feel Duke Family Medicine has demonstrated its commitment to racial and social justice, to community building, and to continually building and refining a curriculum and a style of clinical practice that truly feels a part of the Durham community, a community that I love very deeply.
What strengths or skills do you have that could be of benefit to the community?
As a native of Durham, I have a deep love for the city, which provides me with motivation to truly give back and to make an impact on my home community. In my service as a coordinator of programs for teens and young adults in the Durham area and through participation in my faith community, I have learned to collaborate with community organizations and institutions, to consult within a team, to value the capacity of a community to know and communicate their needs and the importance of empowering the community to develop and implement their own plans, and to act in a learning mode, continually reflecting and improving.
What are you passionate about?
Meaningful and uplifting conversations, facilitating and creating opportunities for deep human connection, social justice, religion, faith and spirituality
What is your hometown?
Durham, NC
What are your hobbies outside of work?
Studying spiritual topics with friends, watching and playing sports, photography, visiting with friends and my large extended family, hiking, and long scenic drives with my wife
What is the best part about living in the Durham/Triangle area?
So many things. The rich African-American history and culture of Durham, the family-oriented spirit of the Triangle, strong faith communities, beautiful diversity, green areas, beautiful parks and lots of trees, vibrant community life that fosters connections, an acknowledgement of the need to advance and progress while respecting history and culture, incredible educational and research institutions.
What is something interesting that not many people know about you?
I spent three years in Haifa, Israel serving as a volunteer at the Bahá’í World Center. I was a research assistant and helped respond to correspondence from Bahá’ís around the world seeking guidance from the Bahá’í archives regarding a wide range of questions, from the technical to the deeply personal.
So far, what has surprised you most about Duke?
I was pleasantly surprised with, and very appreciative of, the level of knowledge some of the residents had about the history of Durham, particularly its history of urban renewal projects and its legacy of racism that has, in part, shaped Durham into what it is today. It demonstrated, again, Duke Family Medicine's dedication to engaging the Durham community and serving its needs.
Education and Training
- UNC School of Medicine, MD
- Duke University, BA