Dr. Jovita Ugochi N. Oruwari wants to inspire more Black women to pursue a medical career. She hopes with her book “Black Girls In White Coats” can help do just that.
According to The Seattle Medium, only six percent of physicians in the U.S. identify as Black. Dr. Oruwari is a breast surgeon at SSM Health DePaul Hospital and St. Louis. Her book is a collection of narratives from Black female doctors detailing their personal and professional challenges and milestone.
“We need more Black physicians. ‘Black Girls In White Coats’ encourages Black girls dreaming of becoming doctors,” she said. “From my work at SSM Health DePaul Hospital, I felt this collection of memories can be a guiding light for Black girls as well as help alleviate the stigma associated with the Black community around health care.”
“Black Girls In White Coats” features Black women physicians across multiple disciplines in medicine. It showcases all the opportunities available in medicine. Oruwari explains that with the book she seeks to empower young Black girls who need to see people who look like them in the medical field.
‘Black Girl In White Coats’ Inspiration
According to Black Enterprise, Dr. Oruwari explains how the pandemic inspired her to push for diversity in the industry. She understands that the future is in the hands of the generations after her.
“We really want this book to go out and inspire young African American girls and get them into the healthcare profession so that they can become our replacements because we are not going to practice forever, so we need more women of color in the field,” she said.
As a breast surgeon specializing in breast cancer, she saw firsthand how the disease disproportionately affects Black women. She hopes more Black people in medicine will help mend the mistrust between the Black community and her industry.
“Looking into racial disparities, we know that health outcomes tend to be better for people that are taken care of by people that look like them,” she said.