Replace: This text was first revealed on Might 12, 2017, however Dominique Earland’s work is essential as ever as Black maternal well being is crucial. Earland at present attends the College of Minnesota, and is a MD/PhD candidate within the Medical Science Coaching Program. Earland’s analysis is round infectious illness, neighborhood well being and social justice.
Dominique Earland wasn’t simply born on Mom’s Day—in a way, her birthright turned her future. And this 12 months, her birthday will even fall on Mom’s Day and mark the start of per week of accolades in recognition of the younger scholar’s work.
Socially Engaged Researcher
Earland might be graduating later this month with two undergraduate levels from Southern Methodist College in Dallas: one in biology (pre-med monitor) and one in human rights. However from earlier than the ninth grade, she already appeared to be shifting towards what would turn out to be her life’s work.
The younger pupil arrived on the SMU campus in 2008 as a part of the federally funded Doctor Scientist Coaching Program, which inspires youth of coloration to pursue STEM careers by taking college-level lessons and collaborating in analysis tasks. By that publicity, Earland realized that SMU was a pacesetter within the subject of human rights, one other ardour of hers.
“Listening to [EHRP Director] Prof. Rick Halperin speak so passionately about essential points made me see there was one other world of studying alternatives on the market, ones related to me pursuing a profession in international well being,” she says. In 2012, SMU started providing an undergraduate diploma in human rights––”that actually sealed the deal that I might attend school right here.”
Maternal Well being Toolkit
Earland has earned a number of awards, grants, fellowships, and scholarships. She used her SMU Embrey Human Rights Program Neighborhood Outreach Fellowship to develop the 36-page maternal well being equipment for Dallas-area girls.
The information, Your Proper to Well being, which provides girls medical recommendation and alerts them to neighborhood sources, was developed “to interrupt down boundaries to healthcare confronted by all girls, particularly in Texas, the place maternal mortality charges have reached an alarming excessive,” Earland says. The information was accomplished with help from the Dallas County Fetal-Toddler Mortality Evaluate Program, and contains sources for refugees and undocumented immigrants; it additionally supplies info on the Zika virus.
“Do you know an individual’s well being final result might be predicted by their zip code?” Earland says. “Race additionally performs an element. African American girls face harsher healthcare disparities.”
A Gentlewoman and a Scholar
Earland has achieved analysis on anemia in being pregnant in western Jamaica, which has been accepted for peer-reviewed publication. She has additionally achieved analysis on teen being pregnant and took part in service tasks that took her from Oklahoma to Costa Rica.
The Phi Beta Kappa Scholar has obtained SMU’s highest honor—the “M” award. As well as, she held a management position within the college’s Affiliation of Black College students and volunteered with a program for refugee kids, amongst others.
Together with a number of school grants and scholarships, Earland obtained help from her Philadelphia dwelling neighborhood, together with her household’s home of worship, Bethlehem Baptist Church, and the Black Ladies’s Academic Alliance, primarily based in Pennsylvania.
Perhaps being born on Mom’s Day didn’t set the course for Earland’s life work, nevertheless it definitely didn’t harm!
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