This piece is an extended conversation about how you build a career in medicine and science that actually matches your values—and what it looks like to do that as someone who didn’t grow up with a built-in roadmap.
I talk about coming up through mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, and molecular and cell biology, and then moving into community engagement and health equity. Along the way, I lay out five themes that have guided me: finding mentors who see you, learning to tell your own story, staying close to community, owning your differences instead of hiding them, and being willing to walk away from environments that crush your voice.
The article is honest about the barriers that Black and other underrepresented scholars face in medicine and research, but it’s also practical. Students, trainees, and early-career professionals will see real examples of how to navigate institutions, advocate for themselves, and still care about patients and communities—not just publications and promotions.
It’s a helpful companion piece to my talks on careers, leadership, and workforce diversity.
https://medium.com/authority-magazine/inspirational-black-men-and-women-in-medicine-eugene-manley-of-lungevity-foundation-on-5-things-a90a9068f033
