Figuratively and literally, Karen Dotson, Program Director for the All of Us Research Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), has reaffirmed her purpose and her passion.
All of Us at MCW, in collaboration with partners throughout the state and country, is laying the groundwork for research that may help eliminate health disparities, particularly in black and brown communities. Historically, black and brown communities have been under-represented in biomedical research and experience the greatest disparities in healthcare access and health outcomes. Dotson and her All of Usteam at MCW want to lead the region in program enrollments from communities of color.
Born in Milwaukee, Dotson grew up with both loving parents in Milwaukee’s inner city. Family, church, school, community, and volunteerism were shared values in the Dotson household. Sundays were, and continue to be, a time for church services and religious as she is the First Lady of the New Life International Ministries, located at 2440 N. 35th Street, where her husband, Walter is the Senior Pastor.
Medicine and education have played important roles in the Dotson family for generations Dotson notes. Her mother worked as a nurse’s aide for many years. Her sister, Rose Dotson, is a medical physician specializing in neurology – one of just a handful of African Americans in the field in Wisconsin. Her younger sister, Jackie, has written two books and also works in the Atlanta medical community as a tenured professional. Dotson has a master’s degree in health services administration from Cardinal Stritch University.
“I’d been working on various medical review panels for local and federal grants in different areas of medical services for many years. I was frustrated by the large number of people of color experiencing health disparities, not participating in health research and impacting the reports. When I saw the opening for Program Director for the All of Us Research Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin, I thought, ‘Here is an opportunity to be at the front end of education, of guiding people from the community into the future of medicine – for themselves, their heirs, and future generations.’” All of Us is the future today!
“The information collected goes into a secure health research database managed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Researchers may use it to conduct thousands of studies. What they learn might help target medicine to individuals, make it more precise, what we call ‘precision medicine.’ It’s really cutting-edge,” said Dotson.
Dotson believes in the words of Maya Angelou: “When we know better, we do better.”
“Many patients come to their primary care doctors with high blood pressure. The doctor might start by prescribing a beta blocker. If that doesn’t get the desired result, the doctor might change it to something else, or add another medication on top of it. For a while, it’s trial and error until something works. Thankfully, 99% of patients eventually get something that achieves the desired results. However, this is costly in time and money for both the patient and the healthcare system. Medicine that considers a patient’s unique DNA – that is, precision medicine – would reveal exactly what medication would work best for them. No more trial and error. That’s the excitement in All of Us,” Dotson said.
Dotson is a role model, known for her availability, good sense, and honest sensitivity. She applies her skills and knowledge freely and is committed to making a difference in the community. She is a community diamond working to ensure inclusivity in science and advancing precision medicine through the All of UsResearch Program in Milwaukee.
To learn more about All of Us or to join, visit www.allofus.wisc.edu.
Leave a Reply