The Power of Primary Care Physicians: A Discussion on Advocacy with Dr. Scott-Wellington

While speaking about her career path,  Dr. Scott-Wellington recalled her lifetime fascination with math and science, which led to her initial interest in medicine and later her love for the underlying biological mechanisms behind disease. She also mentioned that her path to Adolescent Medicine was a journey in and of itself, and this aspect of journey and exploration is why she loves her specialty so much. What she enjoys most about the population she works with is watching them figure out what they want to do and develop a sense of self. She describes this idea as the “Becoming” that comes with someone’s formative years. She enjoys seeing folks form aspirations and the beauty in the chaos of it all – the messiness of self-exploration.  

Dr. Scott-Wellington emphasizes the importance of listening to her patients with empathy and understanding while they learn to navigate the changing world. From finding out the root cause behind ‘health risk behaviors’ to validating a patient’s feelings about the difficulty of navigating public transit, she connects with her patients by truly hearing them out, by assuring them that they will not be judged, or that, yes, she was once there, too. She acts with her patients’ interests and experiences in mind while drawing from her own experiences. She told me about how, as a black woman, her grandparents were once unable to receive vaccines due to how segregation affected access to healthcare, and how she found herself frequently reminding folks of that in conference rooms – that trust in the medical establishment is earned, not given. This is also crucial because, as a physician at UI Health, she serves predominantly Black and Indigenous folks, or other People of Color (BIPOC), so it is essential to navigate conversations with cultural sensitivity and humility.  

Similarly, she found that her patient population experienced marginalization due to the age demographic (adolescent medicine physicians typically work with patients ages 12 – 21). Due to the social position teens find themselves in – as they are no longer kids, but not yet adults – teens often struggle to find autonomy. Additionally, the unique challenges teens and young adults face are usually forgotten, which is why health disparities happen. For example, teens and young adults often have trouble navigating and accessing spaces to receive reproductive care due to factors like stigma. As a result, teens and young adults made up almost half of reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in 2023, despite only being thirteen percent of the general population! The root issue here is what Dr. Scott-Wellington aims to avoid in her clinical practice, as she believes that adolescents should not be judged by those who are supposed to be caring for them. She strives for her patients to feel safe sharing their behaviors and experiences with her because only then does she have all the information she needs to best look out for their health; a doctor listening and being nonjudgmental is about harm reduction! She insists that professionals should listen to their patients and look for the underlying reasons behind ‘health risk behaviors’. 

Dr.Scott-Wellington listens and uses her voice to elevate her patients. Through her work on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) taskforce at UI Health and as a mentor for UIC’s Urban Health Program, she helps create a space that allows students from diverse backgrounds to succeed. Additionally, research shows that a diverse workforce improves the overall quality of care patients receive and could even solve the projected physician shortage! She also elevates community health through her work with the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, where she researches racially motivated hate crimes, the health of infants of unhoused teens or young adults, and violence prevention for youth. Her scholarly work also reflects her mission to listen to and uplift the voices of her patients.  

Ultimately, Dr. Scott-Wellington hopes to see her field grow as there are currently around 500 adolescent health physicians worldwide. She also hopes to grow in her advocacy for her patients by elevating their voices through her efforts both inside and outside the clinic.