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About the COVID-19 Equity Project Team
The ONSMS COVID-19 team was assembled to address the devastating impact of the pandemic on vulnerable communities throughout the state of North Carolina. Evidenced by high rates of death and severe illness, the virus disproportionately affected minority, low-wealth, and rural communities as related to quality care, reliable medical information, vaccinations, and access to treatment. Additionally, federal, state, and local shelter-in-place and employment restrictions compounded the negative effects of COVID-19 for countless individuals and families from vulnerable populations.
The dedicated team of physicians from The Old North State Medical Society is standing with individuals, families, and communities to combat the effects of COVID-19. ONSMS is the reliable source for trusted medical professionals and information needed to make important decisions about health and wellness during the pandemic and beyond.
COVID-19 Equity Project Team
Phillip Hobbs, MD, MPH
Winston-Salem
Phillip Hobbs, MD, MPH
Specialty: Family Medicine
Location: Greensboro, NC, Affiliated with Moses Cone, Wesley Long, Annie Penn and Sentara Albemarle
About
Dr. Phillip Hobbs is a board-certified family physician and hospitalist based in Greensboro, NC.
Previously, Dr. Hobbs was an adjunct professor at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine and was a staff physician and EMS Medical Director in the US Air Force.
Credentials & Education
- MD, The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
- MPH, The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
- Board Certified in Family Medicine
Veita Bland-Spencer, MD
Greensboro
Veita Bland-Spencer, MD
Specialty:
Location: Greensboro, NC
About
Dr. Veita Bland is a Board-Certified Family Medicine physician. She is also a Clinical Hypertension Specialist, FASH, fellow of the American Society of Hypertension and FAHA, fellow of the American Heart association. She serves on committees with the AHA and other organizations.
Dr. Bland has a desire to make sure that her patients and the public in general is equipped with sound knowledge to better care for themselves and can share this knowledge with their families and community.
She is a frequent speaker in the community and has done national CME programs. She is also a national spokesperson for national causes such as peripheral arterial disease.
In her attempt to educate her patients Dr. Bland is a syndicated columnist and is the host of the nationally syndicated radio program, “It’s A Matter of Your Health: The 30 Min Health Magazine”. It is heard locally on 90.1, WNAA. Here Dr. Bland interviews local and national guest as she strives to educate our community.
Brian Shackleford, MD
Greensboro
Brian Shackleford, MD
Specialty: Internist, Primary Care Physician
Location: Greensboro and Winston-Salem, NC,
Affiliated with Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
About
Dr. Brian Shackleford, an internist and North Carolina native, prides himself on being an open, honest, relatable and personable physician of faith who has a deep commitment to the health and well being of his patients. Under his care, patients can be assured that their physical wellness is his top priority.
At the young age of six, Dr. Shackleford cemented his passion and future career in serving others when he acted as his grandmother’s caretaker when she fell ill. Now, some decades later, he provides that same lever of care to the vulnerable populations in Greensboro and Winston-Salem.
Prior to the establishment of his own practice, Dr. Shackleford was the assistant chief of medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Credentials & Education
- M.D., Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Wake Forest, NC
- M.S., Biology, North Carolina Central University
- B.S., General biology, North Carolina Central University
Gwendolyn Knuckles, MD
Greenville
Gwendolyn Knuckles, MD, FACOG
Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Obesity Medicine, Psychological Medicine
Location: Carolina Care Clinic for Health & Wellness, Greenville, NC
Associated with Vidant Medical Center
About
Dr. Gwendolyn Knuckles is a U.S. Air Force veteran and gynecologist with more than 35 years of experience as a practitioner. She is currently the owner of the private practices Carolina Care Clinic for Health and Wellness and Women’s Health Center which are both in Greeneville, NC. Dr. Knuckles provides gynecological care for women as well as dietary, weight loss and bariatric treatment for her patients.
Prior to opening her practices, Dr. Knuckles was the gynecologist at the Greenville Health Care Center, a part of the Durham VA Health Care System.
Dr. Knuckles’ areas of expertise include surgical and non-surgical weight loss, women’s health, menopause and infertility, among many others.
Credentials & Education
- B.S., Biological Sciences, US Air Force Academy
- M.D., Tulane School of Medicine
- Board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Board-certified in Obesity Medicine
- Member - American Society of Bariatric Physicians,
- Member - North Carolina Medical Society
- Fellow, American Congress of Obstetricians & Gynecologists
Tracei Ball, MD
Charlotte
Tracei Ball, MD
Specialty: Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Location: Hargett Pediatrics, Jacksonville and Elizabethtown, NC
About
Dr. Tracei Ball is an internist, pediatrician and chief medical officer of OnCall Mobile Medical and Wellness, a mobile medical service available for house calls 24 hours a day, seven days per week, after horse, weekends, and holidays by special appointment.
In 2012, Dr. Ball created OnCall Mobile Medical and Wellness where she and her colleagues bring doctor appointments to the patient and treat them in their home. During these house visits, Dr. Ball provides adult primary care, pediatric care and treatment for addiction - namely opioid addiction, which has coursed through the country for years.
In addition to the mobile medical practice, Dr. Ball is also a medical consultant and member of the Tobacco-Free Mecklenburg Network’s leadership team. Dr. Ball also served as the president of the Charlotte Medical Dental Pharmaceutical Society, on the board of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society and an executive board member of Old North State Medical Society, one of the oldest medical societies for African American physicians in the country.
Credentials & Education
- M.D., Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN
- Medical Residency - Wayne State University
- Board-certified in Addiction Medicine
- Board-certified in Internal Medicine
- Board-certified in Pediatrics
- Certified buprenorphine prescriber
Karen Smith, MD
Raeford
Karen Smith, MD, FAAFP
Specialty: Family Medicine
Location: Raeford, NC, Affiliated with Cape Fear Valley medical Center and FirstHealth Moore regional Hospital
About
For more than 20 years, Dr. Karen Smith has provided treatment for the Hoke County residents of all ages through a family medicine practice that she owns and operates.
Treating the residents of Hoke County is an effort close to Dr. Smith as she has taken on numerous challenges and obstacles in order to lessen the disparities in healthcare experienced by rural communities. She successfully implemented electronic health records with telehealth as a part of her delivery of care, which provides acute, chronic and preventive services to the region’s diverse patient population.
Dr. Smith is an avid supporter of social service efforts that address rural citizens such as food-related health disparities, after school programs and guidance, substance use issues and sharing pertinent health information. It has been this drive during her 30 years in the county that has propelled her to become so involved in various entities like the Division of Medical Assistance Advisory Board, North Carolina Institute of Medicine, North Carolina Medical Society and the commissions on Practice Enhancement and Quality and Governmental Affairs.
Credentials & Education
- MD, Hahnemann University School of Medicine Philadelphia, PA
- B.S., Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Delegate - American Academy of Family Physicians
- Physician Champion for the Diabetes Prevention Program
- Medical Director - Vaxcare North Carolina
- 2016 North Carolina Family Physician of the Year
- 2017 Academy of Family Physicians Physician of the Year
Umar Bowers, MD
Wilminton
Umar Bowers, MD
Specialty:
Location: Wilmington, NC
About
Dr. Bowers is Dawson Med’s Medical Director and Attending Physician. A former Gates Millennium Scholar, he completed training in Internal Medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC. There, Dr. Bowers participated in health disparities research at the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity. Prior to residency, Dr. Bowers attended medical school at Howard University in Washington, DC, during which time he also worked as a Research Assistant at the Johns Hopkins Medical Center.
After completing his training, Dr. Bowers worked in a large multi-specialty hospital-owned practice in Charlotte. After approximately 3 years there, he changed gears and took on the role of Medical Director for an independent primary care practice in southeastern North Carolina. Dr. Bowers currently serves as a Medical Director for Kindred at Home in addition to being a Local Medical Director for Aledade.
Karyn Hargett, MD
Jacksonville
Karyn Hargett, MD
Specialty: Pediatrics
Location: Hargett Pediatrics, Jacksonville and Elizabethtown, NC
About
Dr. Karyn Hargett is a pediatrician based in Jacksonville, NC and the acting medical director for the non-profit Old North State Medical Society, one of the oldest medical societies for African American physicians.
Dr. Hargett earned her medical degree from the esteemed Meharry Medical School, an HBCU located in Nashville, TN. After completing her pediatric residency at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, NY, she relocated to Jacksonville, where she is an independent practitioner, traveling pediatrician and part-owner of the inventive telemedicine organization RoweDocs, where she is one of many physicians who provide telemedicine services.
Currently, Dr. Hargett has pivoted from pediatrics to dedicating her energy, resources and platforms to mitigating COVID-19, ensuring equity in its prevention and treatment among marginalized communities and among children.
Credentials & Education
- MD, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN
Mary Braithwaite, MD, MPH
Chapel Hill, NC
Mary Braithwaite, MD, MPH
Specialty: General Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine and Primary Care
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, Affiliated with UNC Health and Duke Regional Hospital
About
Dr. Mary Braithwaite, a North Carolina native, is a pediatric provider at Chapel Hill Pediatrics and Adolescents, P.A., a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home, which signifies the highest level of pediatric primary care and exceptional patient care experience. In addition to pediatric services, the facility also offers lactation/breastfeeding services and sports medicine.
Prior to joining Chapel Hill Pediatrics and Adolescents in 2011, Dr. Braithwaite worked with adolescents in Raleigh. In addition to working with children and adolescents, Dr. Braithwaite’s other clinical interests include obesity, newborn care and care for children with special healthcare needs.
Now residing in Durham with her husband and daughter, when not treating patients, Dr. Braithwaite spends time with family, friends, travels, enjoys music and cheers on her alma mater’s team, the Tar Heels.
Credentials & Education
- M.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
- M.S.P.H, Master of Public Health, Maternal and Child Health, UNC
- B.S., Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Board-certified in Pediatrics
- Member - Durham County Board of Health
News & Information
Our Event Photos
Here are some photos from our COVID-19 testing and vaccination events across North Carolina.
