Rebuilding Trust in Healthcare: One Sequenced Genome at a Time
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
Release Date: 03/12/2025
Preserving the Past to Shape the Future: How Sandra Parham Is Safeguarding Meharry’s 150-Year Legacy
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
Preserving history isn’t about looking backward — it’s about ensuring the future understands what came before. As Executive Director of the Meharry Medical College Library and Archives, Sandra Parham serves as the guardian of a 150-year legacy rooted in service, resilience and community care. In this episode, she shares how documenting Meharry’s past — its students, stories and sacrifices — reveals why the institution’s mission remains as vital today as it was in 1876, and why there will always be a need for Meharry.
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Stakeholder in the Community: How Dr. Brandon Morgan Is Expanding Access to Orthodontic Care Through Purpose and Policy
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
Meharry alumnus Dr. Brandon Morgan, founder of Iconic Orthodontics in Atlanta, sits down with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth to share how his journey through Meharry and Howard University shaped his commitment to serving underserved communities, launching a Medicaid orthodontic program and building a non-traditional practice centered on access and trust. The conversation explores the importance of mentorship, health policy, community engagement and the essential role creativity plays in closing gaps in dental care.
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Mentorship as a Catalyst for Equity: Dr. Kenneth Carter on the Power and Responsibility of Representation
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
Orthodontist and Meharry alumnus Dr. Kenneth Carter (class of 2020) shares how mentorship shaped his path from Chicago to dental education and practice ownership. As the first Meharrian accepted into the University of Michigan’s orthodontics program, Carter discusses the importance of representation, the barriers facing aspiring Black and brown healthcare professionals and his commitment to building pathways that expand access to dentistry. He also offers powerful advice for students, insights on authentic leadership and a call to action for lifting up the next generation.
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Restoring Smiles, Restoring Hope: Dr. Julie Gray on Reshaping Access to Oral Health Care
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
Thousands of Tennesseans can’t access the dental care they need, but Dr. Julie Gray isn’t waiting around for this to change — she’s driving the change right to their doors.As Associate Dean of Community Affairs at Meharry Medical College, Gray leads transformational programs like the Mobile Dental Unit and biannual Oral Health Days, bringing compassionate, high-quality care directly to underserved populations. Hear how her journey from Meharry student to leader in community dentistry reflects the College’s enduring mission of service and shines a light on how oral health care can be...
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Transforming Nephrology Through Telehealth: Dr. Sharica Brookins on Breaking Barriers in Kidney Care
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
For many patients in rural and underserved communities, seeing a kidney specialist has long meant hours of travel, months of waiting, and overwhelming anxiety. Meharry Medical College alumna Dr. Sharica Brookins (Class of 2012) saw the impact of those gaps firsthand — and instead of accepting them, she brought care closer to the patient’s home. Through Remote Renal Care, the state’s first fully virtual nephrology practice, she’s bringing hope, access, and continuity of care to patients who need it most. Her work embodies the mission-driven spirit she developed at Meharry Medical...
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Prioritizing Access Over Profit: Dr. Armen Henderson’s Mission to Redefine Community Health
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
Dr. Armen Henderson, a Meharry graduate, shares his journey as an advocate on the front lines of health equity. Our discussion covers how his organization grew from disaster relief and community workshops into a full-time provider of comprehensive, around the clock care for marginalized communities. We’ll offer an insider's look into the complexities and rewards of running a not-for-profit health care model and make the case that health care is a right, not a privilege.
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Rebuilding Trust in Healthcare: One Sequenced Genome at a Time
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
In our Season One finale, Dr. Hildreth welcomes back entrepreneur and health equity advocate Marcus Whitney to reflect on the importance of building and maintaining trust in healthcare. Together they'll explore Meharry Medical College's critical role in addressing historical health disparities, particularly for marginalized communities, and the groundbreaking Together for Change initiative that will sequence the genomes of 500,000 individuals of African descent, enabling breakthroughs in personalized medicine that can benefit underrepresented populations for generations to come.
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Unlocking the Future of Health Care with AI
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
David Feinberg, MD, chairman of Oracle Health, believes AI will revolutionize health care, enabling better outcomes through predictive diagnostics, streamlined workflows and reduced clinician burden. In this episode, he shares how Oracle Health's innovative platform leverages AI to enhance efficiency and accuracy, integrating tools like ambient listening and real-time data capture to improve patient-provider interactions. By addressing inefficiencies in electronic health records (EHRs), the system allows clinicians to focus entirely on patients, while post-visit processes can be automated,...
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Healing Rural America: David Dill’s Vision for Accessible Health Care
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
LifePoint Health's CEO, David Dill, shares his personal story and the inspiration behind his work in addressing the challenges of delivering health care to rural areas and communities. Dill joins Dr. Hildreth to emphasize the importance of partnerships and collaborations in addressing these challenges and to highlight the role of trust in health care delivery. They also cover the significance of residency programs in building the health care workforce in these areas and encourage individuals to take care of themselves, stay engaged with their health and remain active.
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A Reflection on 60 Years of Impact with Dr. Henry Moses
Public Service Announcement with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
As a pillar of the Meharry community for over six decades, Dr. Henry Moses continues to lead with a legacy of leadership, and a deep commitment to student mentorship. Together, Dr. Moses and Dr. James E.K. Hildreth address the evolving perceptions of Meharry over the years and the profound impact the institution has had on patient care, both locally and world-wide. They also reflect on some of their most cherished memories at Meharry, including initiatives Dr. Moses began which continue to influence the school today. It's all part of his mission to donate his time, knowledge and resources to...
info_outlineIn our Season One finale, Dr. Hildreth welcomes back entrepreneur and health equity advocate Marcus Whitney to reflect on the importance of building and maintaining trust in healthcare. Together they'll explore Meharry Medical College's critical role in addressing historical health disparities, particularly for marginalized communities, and the groundbreaking Together for Change initiative that will sequence the genomes of 500,000 individuals of African descent, enabling breakthroughs in personalized medicine that can benefit underrepresented populations for generations to come.