Paula Johnson: 6 Things That Make Her A Leader

Paula Johnson knew from a very early age that she wanted to be a medical practitioner. There are very few people who are blessed with such single-minded focus. This popular women's health specialist is also a pioneer in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. One of the world leaders in changing the face of medicine, Dr Paula Johnson is the 14th President of Wellesley College and first African-American to be selected for the role.

Read on to know more about her contribution to improving women's health facilities:

1. After completing her major in biology at Radcliff College, she wanted to become a clinical epidemiologist. However, during her residency in Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), she fell in love with cardiology and selected it as her speciality. She was the first woman Chief Medical Resident at BWH.  It’s when she served here as the Director of Quality Management and Services that she observed that male and female bodies react in completely different ways to cardiovascular diseases.

2. Dr Johnson wanted to contribute towards advances on women’s health and wanted to be instrumental in providing quality cardiology care to women the world over.

3. Even though from a very early age, she was sure of being in direct service of people, when it came to taking medicine as a career, she did not have a direct role model. For her, it was getting accustomed to a new culture, learning the language of medicine, and behaving according to the norms of medical school.

4.  Her focus is not only traditional women’s health areas, but every area of medicine that touches women: obstetrics, gynaecology, surgical or any other subspecialties. She wants to establish models of care in women’s health practices. Often in her talks, she tries to draw people’s attention to the fact that only a few thousands dollars are spent on research on lung cancer which affects most of the American women.

5. Her studies have transformed the lives of people suffering from a number of diseases by changing the foundation of the medical practice everywhere in the world; she brought it to the notice of people that men and women need different treatments for the same diseases.

6. Her message to the world is that women’s health shouldn't be ignored; the earlier the treatment is given, the faster the cure.

Pic Credit: Ted.com

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Jhanvi Is An Intern With SheThePeople.TV