Inside Duke Medicine
Alaina Brown: Volunteering in the spirit of MLK
posted January 21st, 2010Residents at Duke University Hospital are known for putting in long hours sometimes as many as 80 hours a week, and Dr. Alaina Brown is no exception. But Dr. Brown's work goes beyond the boundaries of Duke, as she is also well known for being a dedicated volunteer in several public clinics.
Since moving to Durham about 14 months ago, Dr. Brown has been a monthly volunteer at Raleigh;s Mariam Clinic, a free healthcare clinic and access center, as a phlebotomist.
"There have been times where she has been the only person we have to do labs. She has been on call with work the night before and she always comes in to make sure that we are covered," writes Samaiyah Faison, Mariam Clinic's administrator. Mariam Clinic is only the most recent example of Dr. Brown's volunteerism. For four years, Dr. Brown served as a nurse, phlebotomist, and clinic chief at the Charlottesville Free Clinic while studying at the University of Virginia.
In 2001, Alaina volunteered at Camp Fantastic, a Virginia summer camp for children with cancer, serving as counselor and healthcarae provider while attending medical school.
"As a physician, Dr. Brown provides compassionate care, well exceeding the requirements of her residency program," writes fellow pediatrics resident Dr. Emily Walkey. "She uses her talents to make an impact on the quality of healthcare in the Durham/Duke community."
Dr. Brown was nominated for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Caregiver Award. Learn more about others nominees and the 2010 MLK Community Caregiver here.