From the tender age of four, twins Pamela and Patrice knew that they wanted to be doctors. They have accomplished a lifelong dream through faith, familial inspiration and grit.
Photos by Roberto Gonzalez
Who Are The Cates Sisters?
“When we were growing up in Gary, Indiana, the statistics did not show that we would become doctors,” shares Pamela Cates-Smith. “There was no way that two little Black girls from a single-family home with four children were going to become doctors. At one point, when we graduated from college in 1994, Gary was the murder capital. The odds were against us.”
Despite the odds, those two little girls who had dreamt of being doctors did just that.
Graduating from Emerson School for Visual and Performing Arts in Gary, Indiana, Pamela Cates-Smith received her pre-med bachelor’s degree at Howard University, where her sister, Patrice Cates-Lonberger, received her bachelor’s degree in biology. The dynamic twin duo graduated summa cum laude, ranking first and second in their graduating class in 1998. The two went on to attend Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis.
Entering her 15th year of practice, Pamela Cates-Smith is a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist. Her interest in OBGYN stemmed from her fascination with the miracle of childbirth. “I knew that I wanted to be a doctor, and I knew that I wanted to deliver babies. Every birthing experience is beautiful.”
Beyond birthing, Pamela Cates-Smith also wanted to bring education to women. She cites that the passing of her aunt from cervical cancer is also what honed in on her wanting to pursue obstetrics and gynecology. “I knew that it was a women’s health issue, but I did not know that it was a preventative cancer. I realized that there needed to be more education about women’s health. Cervical cancer is one of the cancers that we can catch early and even prevent with yearly check-ups and pap smears. Delivering babies is beautiful, but so is women’s health education. That’s what pushed me into this field of medicine.”
Also entering her 15th year of practice, Patrice Cates-Lonberger thought she would be a Pediatrician. “I always wanted to be a baby doctor and provide primary care. Through med school, that was my focus.” However, she felt a pull toward adult medicine during her clinical rotations. She did two residencies, one in internal medicine and the other in pediatrics. Although she practiced both for a while, she exclusively practices internal medicine now. Both doctors are a part of Orlando Health Physician Associates.
Breaking Down The Barriers to Access
Through social media posts and headlining news stories around the globe, we have learned of countless examples of malpractice, mistreatment and medical racism toward African-American patients. Everything from patients with chest pains dying after being left unattended in the lobby for hours to the astronomical rate at which Black mothers are dying in childbirth. These are but a few reasons for the disconnect and mistrust of Black patients in the healthcare system. The other common denominator is the lack of representation. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, just under six percent of physicians in the United States identify as Black or African-American. It is an issue that Pamela Cates-Smith and Patrice Cates-Lonberger are all too familiar with. The doctors shared that with this kind of news coverage, African-American physicians are in high demand. In the Central Florida area, there are only a handful of them.
Pamela Cates-Smith says that in obstetrics, there is an increase in Black maternal morbidity and mortality. The numbers are astonishing and disparate when it comes to African-American women dying in childbirth or afterward. And she’s often asked, why?
“But my take on that is it all comes down to access and education,” shares Pamela Cates-Smith. “When African-American women are dying in childbirth or afterward in the postpartum period, then it has to go back to, well, did they get prenatal care?”
She adds that patients who do not have access to prenatal care cannot receive education or have an opportunity to ask a physician about the medical issues that may be occurring in their pregnancies. However, compliance is another factor. When patients are compliant with prenatal care (in addition to having access and insurance), OBGYNs can catch those things that are leading to the cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, such as hypertensive disorders or fetal issues that may compromise their health care.
“I can catch high blood pressure in your pregnancy if you come to the visit. I can catch those things that may lead to your risk of preeclampsia, blood pressure issues, or diabetes if you come to your appointments.”
The same thing happens in the primary care realm, adds Patrice Cates-Lonberger. “With the African-American population, it’s about access. And for a lot of patients, representation matters. There are not a lot of Black physicians in Central Florida, so they feel more comfortable, secure and heard when they come to see me. It helps eradicate disparities and cultural biases.” A lot of their patients come by word of mouth from existing patients. That representation is like a sigh of relief. Patients are elated to be in their care, she shares, often saying, “I have finally found an African-American doctor.”
Visits don’t start when you are sick, she says. “You have to come when you’re well so we can prevent sickness and illness. We need patients to come for wellness visits before getting pregnant or starting their family planning journey. When they do that, we can ward off some of those problems that may occur during childbirth like high blood pressure, diabetes and other comorbidities.”
Because of the disparities in health care for African Americans, both doctors add proactive education to their patient care. With access and education, patients can also advocate for themselves.
Pamela Cates-Smith and Patrice Cates-Lonberger are among the few Black physicians in Central Florida. They’re helping to eradicate disparities in health care for African Americans.
Inspiring The Next Generation
The representation of African-American women doctors extends into their community as well. It’s not many of them, but by defying the odds, Pamela and Patrice hope to close the gap of lack of diversity in medicine through mentorship and empowerment.
“If kids don’t know that there are Black doctors out there, then they will have no idea that they can also be a Black doctor. There are so many statistics in different communities. Kids may not feel like they can make it,” shares Pamela Cates-Smith.
As active members in their community and church, the sisters are often guest speakers sharing the inspirational story of two girls from Gary, Indiana, who had a dream. With family, faith and dedication, they achieved their goals. They credit getting to where they are through mentorship from those who believed in them and their ambitions. That same faith is what they pour into youth, teenagers and seniors in high school who are interested in medicine. Through their mentorship, students can come into the office to shadow the work of the doctors. It allows prospective medical students to gain some early insight into what a career in obstetrics, gynecology and internal medicine looks like to ensure it is a path they want to pursue.
In 2018, they co-founded the Grace Girls Foundation in partnership with the YMCA of Northwest Indiana to empower and encourage young ladies. When asked about the purpose of their foundation, Patrice Cates-Lonberger elaborated:
“Through this program, we want to remind youth that they don’t have to be a statistic. We want to show them that they can make something of themselves. They can be scholars. They can be the President. They can be a doctor, lawyer, or a teacher. Whatever they set their minds to, they can accomplish.”
Pamela Cates-Smith and Patrice Cates-Lonberger are among the few Black physicians in Central Florida. They’re helping to eradicate disparities in health care for African Americans.
What Is The Legacy of The Cates Sisters?
While most physicians may have lofty ambitions like developing a cure for a disease or engineering an effective treatment, the Cates sisters hope to leave a direct impact on the patients they serve. They know that practicing medicine is only one element of being a doctor. The other elements are bedside manner, education and compassion.
Ultimately, what will help your patients when they leave your exam room is the education you provide them, says Pamela Cates-Smith. “I practice each day as if it would be my last day in medicine. When that day comes, my patients can say that Dr. Pamela Cates-Smith was a great listener and educator who cared about her patients.”
Her sister, Patrice Cates-Lonberger, can attest to that. “When patients leave my office, I want them to know they are seen and heard. Patients come to us armed with information from Google, so we also dispel myths to get them the adequate care they need. We build relationships with our patients.”
In building those relationships, patients sometimes reveal information not previously shared with anyone else. It is a level of vulnerability that the doctors meet with compassionate care.
“We are not ashamed to let anyone know we are Christian doctors. We have our doctorates, but we don’t just practice medicine. Sometimes, we cry with our patients. We hug them. We pray with them if they request it. I feel like patients come into the office through divine intervention. This is our ministry.” says Patrice Cates-Lonberger.
Above all, the sister-doctor duo believes their impact in the healthcare industry reflects their lifelong dream of being a physician.
“We are doing what we set forth to do since age 4, being a Black doctor in the community. If we were not here, some patients may not be well or where they are now in their healthcare journey. That is our biggest accomplishment in medicine.”