Janae Chatmon

Janae as a medical student

Pronouns: She/Her

• A few basic facts about me:

  I’m currently a medical student at David Geffen School of Medicine (UCLA).

• What kind of identities do you inhabit?

  African-American, female, first-generation college graduate

• The path to medicine is not easy. Can you tell us why you decided to pursue it?

  My first memorable interaction with the U.S. healthcare system was visiting my mother in the ICU after she experienced cardiac arrest during my junior year of high school. During this time, I began to see how much of a positive impact healthcare providers can have on patients and families by serving patients with diligence and compassion. While studying public health in college, I gained a deeper understanding of how socioeconomic status is directly related to health outcomes. I decided I wanted to serve as a physician/advocate for individuals from diverse communities.

• Can you describe a challenging moment in medicine that made you rethink your career path?

  My third year of medical school (2020-2021) was a challenging year. It was my first year working in clinical teams and it was difficult watching patients suffer from COVID-19 and seeing residents tired, discouraged, and overwhelmed in the process. I wondered if I chose the right career path. Some things that helped me to desire to keep going where talking with family who would remind me of why I went into medicine, finding joy in simple activities such eating lunch outside with my team, and remembering the moments my patients felt well cared for.

• Why are you interested in this organization? Why equity and PM&R?

  I am grateful to be a part of Representation in Rehab to work on efforts aimed at increasing awareness of PM&R among students who are underrepresented in medicine. I envision myself advancing equity in PM&R as a resident and future physiatrist by making sure to take into account each of my patient's needs, environment, and resources to design rehab treatment plans that are patient-centered.

• Can you tell us a little bit of your aspirations - either for your career or for the field of medicine (if you’re a medical student?)

  I am still exploring the different areas within PM&R. I currently have an interest in acute rehabilitation, TBI, SCI, cancer rehabilitation, and women's health rehabilitation.

• Other information about myself:

  Mentorship of students from under-resourced communities has been a passion of mine since college. Here's the website to an article that explains why.

Last updated 11/2022