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PORTLAND, Oregon – Today, CareOregon announced the first-ever recipients of the Dr. Nathalie Johnson Scholarship. For 2024, the recipients are Kenny Regis, a first-year student at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Medicine, and Malik Seals, a first-year student in OHSU’s MD/PhD program.

The scholarship, funded by CareOregon and administered by the National Medical Fellowships (NWF), supports medical students in Oregon with financial need, who come from a historically underrepresented background and who have demonstrated interest in promoting health equity through reducing the Black maternal mortality gap. It honors Nathalie McDowell Johnson, MD, one of Oregon’s leading breast cancer surgeons and a tireless advocate for health equity. Dr. Johnson also served on CareOregon’s Board of Directors for over a decade.

Both Regis and Seals expressed a desire to help improve health disparities by providing equitable access to health care and improving Black maternal health. In his program, Seals is also conducting research on the complex maternal immune response of women with multiple sclerosis, with the goal of finding new ways to help women with high-risk pregnancies.

“We're thrilled to provide this scholarship to help improve the lives of Black maternal patients in the Portland area,” says Jeremiah Rigsby, CareOregon’s Chief of Staff. “This is another way CareOregon is trying to improve access to culturally responsive care by supporting the expansion of providers in the field—particularly Black providers.”

Black maternal mortality remains a dire issue throughout the United States because of equity gaps during pregnancy and postpartum. More than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, but Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared with their white counterparts. This is due to factors such as unequal access to quality health care, structural racism and discrimination, implicit bias and higher rates of chronic health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Black women also tend to have a higher “allostatic load,” the cumulative physiological effects of chronic stress.

“So ecstatic over CareOregon’s investment into our communities in the form of scholarships to support talented medical students from underrepresented groups,” says Dr. Johnson. “Forward investment upstream like this enriches communities and can help move the needle toward improved outcomes in Black maternal health, reducing disparities and elevating health care for all. It is truly an exceptional honor to have these scholarships given in my name.”