Dr. Mary Owen has a lot to be proud of.
Not only is she president-elect of the American Association of American Indian Physicians, the Center for American Indian and Minority Health and the University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth Campus welcomed a record-breaking 13 Native med students out of a class of 65 earlier this month.
Not only do Native doctors help their Native patients achieve better outcomes, rural and Native communities are in desperate need of their services.
Owen has already set one of her goals after her tenure as president of the AAIP begins: to start developing regional pathways - actually, from before babies are born and right on through their childhood and school experiences - to help kids grow up healthy and ready to take on the challenges of med school and service to their communities.