Monday, Feb. 13 and Wednesday, Feb. 15 | noon | Zoom
The West Virginia University School of Medicine Student National Medical Association will host Sarah Dotson, M.D., and Olihe Okoro, Ph.D., as part of a Black History Month lecture series. Dr. Dotson’s presentation, “Racial Disparities in Maternal Health and Childhood,” will take place Feb. 13 at noon. Okoro will present “Increasing Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce” Feb. 15 at noon. Both presentations will take place via Zoom.
The event is open to the WVU community and general public. Register in advance to receive Zoom access information the day of each event.
Dotson is an assistant professor in the WVU Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences where she also serves as the medical director for quality and performance improvement and director of patient safety. She is a clinician at WVU Medicine. Her research interests and didactic teaching include quality improvement, patient safety and family planning. Current research projects include the impact of policy change on provision of permanent contraception in West Virginia. Dotson completed residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University Hospital following medical school at Dartmouth College where she also earned a Master of Public Health. She obtained a B.A. in Biochemistry from Colgate University. Dotson was born and raised in rural Western Maryland.
Okoro is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth College of Pharmacy. As a social and behavioral scientist and community-engaged researcher, Okoro has years of experience working collaboratively with Black/African American communities and patient populations to investigate root causes of health disparities and implement community-based health interventions. Okoro is committed to integrating structural and cultural competencies into pharmacy education, patient care and healthcare delivery. She is also passionate about providing relevant mentoring and instrumental support for students of color who aspire to healthcare and allied professions. Through these efforts, her work continues to contribute to enhancing health and healthcare for underserved populations, towards the goal of achieving health equity for all. Okoro earned a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy and MPH in Social & Behavioral Sciences from the University of Florida and an M.Pharm. in Clinical Pharmacology from the University of Nigeria.
