KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — One in nine Americans over the age of 65 are affected by Alzheimer’s, with only around 7,300 geriatricians nationwide.
Genesis Neuroscience Clinic is hoping to lead a new generation of geriatricians, while making the medical field as diverse as possible.
“It started when I was seven years old. I watched my grandmother have a heat stroke. That was the moment for me that I felt like health care was what I wanted to pursue,” said Tiana Ross, Clinical Coordinator of Genesis Neuroscience.
Ross followed her passion for medicine into college where she studied as an undergraduate at the University of Tennessee.
Looking for clinical experience, she discovered an internship at Genesis Neuroscience Clinic, operated by Dr. Monica Crane.
“I didn’t know what I stumbled across. Dr. Crane’s mission with the internship is dual action: on one hand, she wants to have a diverse group of healthcare providers and the other hand, nurture an interest in the geriatric field," Ross said.
Ross completed her internship then accepted a full-time position as clinical coordinator at Genesis. One of her jobs is running the program she was once a part of.
“Now that I’m heading that project, it’s exciting to know that I’m a part of that change. I’m making sure that my internship program has a diverse group of people, and these future health care professionals have patients that look like them," Ross said.
Inspired by Dr. Crane, Ross is pursuing a career in geriatrics and hopes Dr. Crane’s mission of diversity in the medical field will continue into the future.
“I’ve been to doctor’s appointments my whole life and all the doctors look the same. You don’t see people who look like me who know about my struggles and my issues. It’s inspiring honestly,” Ross said.
Ross is very involved in the dementia community in Knoxville and hopes one day to start her own geriatric clinic here.