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Who Inspires Us - Dr. Kathleen Annette
Kathleen Annette (born 1955) is a public health advocate from Minnesota. She is a member of the White Earth Band of the Chippewa tribe and is the first Ojibwe woman to become a doctor. She also is the first woman to serve as an area director for the Bemidji Indian Health Service, an organization that provides support to Native American tribes and Native American public health programs across the Upper Midwest.
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Early life and education
Dr. Annette earned her undergraduate degree in Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, after which she matriculated into University of Minnesota Medical School. She earned her doctor of medicine in 1983. She cites her preparation for college as one of her life's greatest obstacles, stating, "I was ill-prepared, initially, for college. No-one from the reservation high school had ever successfully pursued a medical education."
Adult life and career
Annette completed her residency at the Duluth Family Practice Center and became board certified to practice medicine independently in 1986. After her certificaion, she joined the Indian Health Service (IHS) as a medical officer serving the Leech Lake Service Unit at Cass Lake, Minnesota. She remained there for several years, working her way up to higher levels of authority and responsibility. In 1990, she became the director of the entire Bemidji Area of the IHS, overseeing health services for approximately sixty thousand Native Americans in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Dr. Annette uses her position as area director to bring awareness to Native American public health issues. She speaks at a range of health care conferences and is an active member of a Center for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee concerned with emerging infectious diseases. She also speaks about her work at medical schools nationwide, with the hope of inspiring young Native Americans who aspire to professional careers.