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OUR STORY
From an online blog to a national charity changing the narrative
Founded in 2017 by Dr Olamide Oguntimehin, Melanin Medics has championed increased positive representation of black medical students and doctors in the United Kingdom.
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Our history
The focus of the organisation when founded in 2017 was to function as an online platform sharing both experiences and advice to black African and Caribbean aspiring medics and medical students and showcasing positive representation of this particular demographic.
However, having increased both our reach and capacity we desired for the organisation to have a greater impact on those we serve as well as those who support and engage with our organisation.
We recognised the need for a representative organisation enabling long-term support starting from pre-medical school entry right through to practising as a doctor leading to a generational impact.
Melanin Medics today
Today, Melanin Medics is a largely volunteer-led and run charitable organisation that has supported thousands of young people in the UK through outreach, and hundreds of current and future doctors with African and Caribbean heritage.
The organisation provides practical support through a number of programmes, events, engagements, outreach, networking opportunities and mentorship.
Having started as a blog, Melanin Medics has rapidly grown to become one of the UK’s leading black-led charities dedicated to supporting current and prospective Black African Caribbean doctors.
Making an impact across generations
Dr Olamide Oguntimehin MBBS PGCert FInstLM
Founder & Chief Executive of Melanin Medics
Melanin Medics was founded by Dr Olamide Oguntimehin (formerly known as Dr Olamide Dada) in 2017. Based on her own experience applying to medical school and disheartened by the lack of representation she saw upon starting her medical degree. Dr Oguntimehin had a deep desire to see greater positive representation of African and Caribbean medical students and doctors.
Dr Olamide Oguntimehin set up the ‘Melanin Medics’ blog whilst being in a UK Medical School. When applying to Medical School, she had struggled to find a platform that provided support and advice as a medical student of black African and Caribbean descent. Having been successful in her application, Olamide realised that she had the opportunity to fill this gap and pursued it.
Dr Olamide Oguntimehin is currently a junior doctor, leadership fellow and charity leader. She is the Founder and Chief Executive of Melanin Medics. Olamide is an advocate for racial equality in Medicine, widening access and is passionate about tackling health inequalities. She authored a report with the NHS Race & Health Observatory on ’Pulse Oximetry and Racial bias’ subsequently led to a government review of medical devices and potential bias. She is a Member of the GMC Equality and Diversity Advisory Board for differential attainment and member of the BMA EDI Advisory Group. She is an alumnus of the Healthcare Leadership Academy and a fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management.
