Emmanuelle Vanessa Camille moved to the United States from Haiti with her mom and sister when she was 6 years old. She speaks three languages, was a college athlete and is a third-year medical student. A lot has happened since the time she moved from Haiti that prompted her desire to become a physician.
When Vanessa was as an undergraduate student in Pennsylvania, she experienced two traumatic brain injuries (TBI). One was from a cheerleading accident and the other was sustained when she was a victim of a vehicular hit-and-run. Through these experiences, Vanessa experienced both good and bad clinicians which ignited her passion and goal to pursue medicine.
As a freshman in college, Vanessa was injured during a cheerleading stunt when a teammate fell and landed on her head and neck. She was rushed to her local emergency department where she needed an immediate CT scan. Vanessa had her hair in braids with metal hair clips and since no metal can be worn while undergoing a CT scan, one clinician on Vanessa’s care team insisted on cutting out her braids before the scan. Another clinician interjected and advocated to take a few extra moments to remove the clips, saving her hair.
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“There was one physician, who happened to be a Black woman, who stood up and advocated for me. She explained that they didn’t have to cut my braids off, that they could simply and safely remove the clips before the CT scan. She really lobbied for me, and by her and a few others taking the extra minute to remove my clips and save my hair, that really made an impression on me. It was a simple solution; that physician treated me as a person, not just a number, and that has inspired me to this day and makes me want to emulate that.” – Vanessa Camille, Medical Student |
When Vanessa was a sophomore in college, a vehicle ran into her car and fled the scene. She was back in the hospital with another TBI and short-term paralysis. Vanessa experienced a law enforcement officer not entirely believing her story and a member of her care team initially questioning some of her injuries. A positive interaction with a trauma surgeon left a lasting impression on her though. This surgeon asked Vanessa about herself, didn’t make assumptions and took the time to engage with her. It left a lasting impression on her and showed her, yet again, the impact small gestures can have on patients.
Vanessa fully recovered from both TBIs and despite the physical setbacks, still graduated magna cum laude in four years from Kings College, where she also completed the Honors College. She is currently completing her third-year clerkship in Charlotte at Atrium Health and is empowered by the exposure and experience she’s receiving by providing care to underserved populations.
“I spent a good portion of my childhood in New York City and I know what it’s like, as a patient, to navigate a health system in a larger, urban setting,” Vanessa said. “I know what kind of patients that will receive care there and the challenges they will face because I was one of them. I intimately know what it’s like to be on Medicaid and the obstacles that can come with that. I chose to complete my clerkship in Charlotte because I do understand a good portion of the patient population and how many of them are underserved. I know I want to ultimately practice in an urban setting and Charlotte was a perfect fit – I’m learning and being exposed to so much and it’s fulfilling to me when patients can relate to me and vice versa.”
