Meet Dr. Brandi Jones, The Woman Improving The Level Of Women's Healthcare In The D.C. Area

While only 5.7 percent of medical school graduates in the U.S. are Black, only 2 percent who practice are Black women. 

Interestingly enough, Black women top the list for risks of diseases and health conditions including obesity, breast and cervical cancer mortality rates, premature delivery, and new diagnoses of sexually-transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea. Could it be that Black women would benefit from more access to medical care from doctors who understand their needs? Well, Dr. Brandi Jones aims to make that a reality.

By splitting her time between Howard University Hospital and three Unity Health Care Clinics, Dr. Jones is bringing quality healthcare to Black women in N.E. Washington, D.C. Jones told SELF that access is a huge obstacle to overcome. "For the most part, our patient population is uninsured," she said.

Often, not having transportation or a babysitter can make women miss scheduled appointments. Jones is sensitive to this issue and adjusts accordingly. "I encounter that often, and it can complicate your day," Jones said. "But you have to factor in patients’ situations, because it may not be that they don’t want to come or they don’t think prenatal care is important—it’s socioeconomic barriers," she explained.

Jones understands how an unplanned pregnancy can literally change the trajectory of a woman's life--especially financially. She makes discussing birth control options a priority. The Guttmacher Institute reported that in 2011, 45 percent of all pregnancies were unintended. But in 2010, the highest rate in the nation was in the D.C. area. "I spend a lot of time educating patients about their options for contraception before, during, and after pregnancy. Even if it’s a routine visit, there’s always an opportunity to ask about their birth control method," Jones said.

Practicing preventive medicine is also extremely important to Jones. She insists that her patients are screened properly for diseases that have proven fatal in Black women regularly. She also fills in the gap by addressing what a primary care physician would: healthy diet, exercise, weighing properly, bone health, and more.

Being a Black woman makes her patients more receptive to Jones' advice. Not only are they happy to see a Black female doctor, they are also inspired to dream big and keep pushing toward their goals. 

"It gives them the opportunity—especially my younger girls—to see, yes, you can be black, yes, you can be a woman, and yes, you can be a doctor," Jones said.