Position/Where:
Internal medicine physician at Sunset Hills Adult Medicine (BJC Medical Group), located at 3844 South Lindbergh, Suite 210, St. Louis, MO 63127
Career Highlights:
Served as an attending physician and clinical instructor for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill.
Awards:
“In Recognition of Excellence -Advocate Physician Partners Exemplary Physician” 2009 & 2010
3rd place for Clinical Vignette “Million Dollar Tattoo,” Internal Medicine Residency Program in 2005 at Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, Ill.
“50 Who Make A Difference” by MAMM Magazine, which is devoted to meeting the needs of women diagnosed with breast and reproductive cancer, 1999
Education:
University of Illinois at Chicago/Advocate Christ Medical Center
Internal Medicine Residency Program
Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School Doctor of Medicine
North Chicago, Ill.
Master of Public Health Epidemiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago–School of Public Heath
Bachelors of Art Degree in General Science/ Chemistry Concentration from Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa
Personal:
Married to Samuel Jones, Jr.
5-yr-old daughter named Anna.
Attends Grace Church in Maryland Heights, Mo.
St. Louis Connection:
My husband brought my daughter and me to St. Louis. I am from the south side of Chicago.
Your journey to success:
It has been a long journey. From childhood I knew I wanted to be a teacher, a nurse or a doctor. After graduating college, I got the chance to work as a substitute school teacher. I had the challenge and the pleasure of substituting for a first grade teacher who was on medical leave. I absolutely fell in love with the students and the joy that came from teaching them. After that experience, I was to enroll in a special program which would award a certificate that would start me on the road of teaching. As fate would have it, plans fell through with that program and I again pursued my dream of becoming a physician. However, I would take another detour.
I had the pleasure of working with an organization called the National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer (NBLIC) – Midwest Region. Through this experience, I connected with the top African American physicians, nurses, advocates and community leaders who were in the fight to help prevent and control cancer which was devastating our community. It was truly an awesome and rewarding experience. During the time I worked at NBLIC, I was able to get my Master in Public Health in Epidemiology. This helped to solidify the importance of not just trying to practice medicine but the importance of reaching out to people and to teach them how they can help prevent and control certain diseases and their own health.
I later connected with persons of the Chicago Area Health and Medical Careers Program (CAHMCPS) which taught me how to prepare for medical school. I then got accepted into what was then known as the Chicago Medical School renamed in recent years as Rosalind Franklin University of Health Sciences.
While in medical school I was able to continue because of the inspiration of my mother. My mother had become disabled during my time in college and despite her disability, she continued to persevere. She was amazing! She had become an amputee and visually impaired – all complications from her diabetes which she probably had for years but did not find out until she suffered complications. She was too busy taking care of her children and being a wife. She also helped to manage my father’s pest control business. Her strength and attitude toward her disability and illness helped motivate and inspire me through my own trials and tribulations throughout medical school and life.
My ambition is to continue to help people help themselves by learning to take control of their medical conditions to the best of their ability and to help provide the best health care to them.
