We recently connected with Lauren Senkbeil and have shared our conversation below.

Lauren, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

My life changed drastically after the passing of my friend, Dr. Kwame Firempong. At this stage in my life I had to leave my job unexpectedly and was helping plan his funeral. I made the decision to move on from my lifelong journey in medicine and that I would move forward and work on my businesses. While assisting in planning Kwame’s funeral and being around his UCLA medical school classmates, I was bombarded with questions about why I was no longer pursuing medicine. I was mentally exhausted after years of attempting and failing to get into American schools. Someone sent me a link to an international school and I ended up applying and getting into medical school this time around. I am now in my second year of medical school and still working towards my Doctorate of Medicine, while also working on my businesses.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a second year medical student, President of Health X Hollywood, and co-founder and President of the Coalition of Black Men Physicians. Since second grade I have been fascinated by the field of medicine and long aspired to be a physician. My mission to mitigate health disparities stems from my Master of Urban Public Health Degree, over a decade of clinical research experience, and my past in facilitating medical missions in Mexico and Guatemala throughout the years. Originally from Naperville, IL, by way of Maryland, Guadalajara, and Los Angeles, CA, I have ended up in Barbados as I pursue my Doctorate of Medicine. I will always call Los Angeles home, and I have brought an innovative approach to medicine as I use my experiences in Hollywood and entertainment to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors through media and events. With a previous billboard placement for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s “Reducing the Stigma” Campaign, I am passionate about leading by example and being an advocate for underserved communities. My community outreach includes the implementation of the Charles Drew Farmers’ Market in South LA, being a previous Event Coordinator with the Amber Rose Annual Slut Walk, being a Los Angeles African American Women’s Public Policy Institute alum, and helping facilitate community outreach and fundraising for the Association of Black Women Physicians’ most lucrative time since inception. Throughout the pandemic, I prepared for my lifelong career in medicine on the frontlines of research with the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine trials. As a medical student, I later created a national holiday, National Black Men Physicians Day on September 12th. Working on the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 trial and creating this national holiday are what I am most proud of in my career.

It is my firm belief that through education, initiatives, and events designed to harness the social power of individuals that we can foster productive relationships and beneficially impact the health status of communities. I am currently focused on challenging the status quo and changing policy with the Coalition of Black Men Physicians, where I work with Black male physicians and students to mitigate health disparities faced by Black men in the medical field. Outside of student life, I use my free time to partner with organizations, government entities and stakeholders who influence decision-making for vulnerable populations.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your firm or practice?

Funding for the Coalition of Black Men Physicians was possible through the initial contributions of myself and Dr. Richard Morgan. We put up the start up costs to get this company going, create the website, and facilitate content creation we needed for our social media outlets. Our first fundraiser, National Black Men Physicians Day at Sofi Stadium raised over $35,000. By executing this event and getting stakeholders involved is how we gained credibility from our community and announced our company launch.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

My journey through medicine and involvement with various organizations focused on minorities in health is what helped contribute to my reputation within the medical industry. As a medical school applicant, I have gotten to know a great deal of physicians and health care professionals through my various internships, occupations, and conferences I have attended. I have also been employed at the top academic institutions in Southern California as a researcher, which has allowed me to work with different departments and pharmaceutical/medical device companies. I have mentored students pursuing medical school for over a decade.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.blackmenphysicians.org
• Instagram: blackmenphysicians
• Facebook: Coalition of Black Men Physicians
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coalition-of-black-men-physicians/
• Twitter: @blackmenphysic1
• Youtube: Coalition of Black Men Physicians

Image Credits
Arnold Turner and @ghostmodephotos