Patience Jaman

I was born in Tamale, in the Northern Region of Ghana. However, I lived most of my life in Kumasi and had my undergraduate studies in Cape coast which is in the Central Region of Ghana.

The food! Seattle has an international population, and this is represented by the numerous eating places dispersed throughout the city. I enjoy going on “food dates” with my friends. This has been a wonderful experience for me. I recently tried Gambian and Caribbean dishes. Luckily, Seattle has a lot of options and places where we can keep savoring international dishes.

I grew up in a small town where the primary economic activity is farming. This environment was very challenging as there was little to no access to proper health care and education. In those days, girl/child education was considered a waste of time, as her place is in the kitchen (the situation is different now). After medical school, I went back to the Northern Region to practice and founded a nonprofit called Teen Health Ghana. This organization provides free health care services and education, as well as mentorship to teenagers in deprived communities.

I wanted to be in a position where I can merge my clinical work with making an impact in my community through research and advocacy.