Daily Inspiration: Meet Shenise Gilyard

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shenise Gilyard.

Hi Shenise, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hi Everyone! I remember the day that I decided to become a physician well. It started off as a day like any other– I woke up for my high school classes, finished up school and headed to track practice. However, my day ended in devastation– my grandad who had just taken me to school the day before was found dead from a heart attack at home. After the tears dried, I was determined to become a doctor to understand WHY and perhaps give people more time. I remember that he always wanted to be a physician, but due to segregation he never achieved that dream. So, I became that dream. My training took me from North Carolina, to Boston, Cleveland, Atlanta, and finally Los Angeles. I now have the privilege of taking care of patients every day and serving the greater Los Angeles area through the Charles R. Drew Medical Society.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Ah my road has been fraught with bumps and unexpected turns. One of the things that I didn’t realize is that I could change my mind about what kind of doctor I could become. When I first graduated medical school, I was convinced that I would go to internal medicine and cardiology. However, after starting internal medicine residency, I realized that I really loved doing procedures. So, I packed my bags and transferred programs to Diagnostic Radiology at Emory, where I became the program’s first African American Chief Resident.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an Interventional Radiologist, which means that I use any method of imaging in order to treat a wide variety of diseases. One of my big focuses is patient pain in sickle cell disease. In fact- I am uniquely imbedded in UCLA’s sickle cell program. I have research funding to work on improving the quality of life for these very special patients.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the fact that every neighborhood is unique and that the food is incredible! I also love the diversity of the city. Of course we can’t forget my absolute favorite: my beloved Dodgers!

I really can’t stand the traffic! It’s Brutal.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @curlydocmd
• Youtube: CurlyDoc

Image Credits
Tavaris Long (Full Shot of Dr. Gilyard)