How Philadelphia doctors are fighting medical misinformation with "Twin Sister Docs" podcast
In a sea of social media advice these days, twin sisters from Philadelphia are prepared to be a trusted source of accurate medical information. Their new podcast is meant to cover a variety of topics in a way that reaches people beyond their typical office hours.
"I am Dr. Delana Wardlaw," Wardlaw said in a trailer for the podcast. "I am a board-certified family medicine physician, and I'm one half of the Twin Sister Docs."
"And I am Dr. Elena McDonald, board-certified general pediatrician," her identical twin sister said. "We're sisters, we're twins and we're physicians, hence the name: Twin Sister Docs."
Launched in February, the Twin Sister Docs podcast promises to dive into topics big and small, from navigating the health care system to heart disease, obesity, vaccines and even when to go to urgent care vs. the emergency room.
But the new podcast is only the latest evolution of their mission.
Wardlaw and McDonald are Philly through and through. They were raised in Strawberry Mansion and graduated from Central High School, Temple University and Penn State University Medical School.
The sisters now practice medicine in some of the area's most underserved neighborhoods, including Memphis Street Pediatrics in Port Richmond.
"We want to make sure that we are providing the most vulnerable patients the best care possible," McDonald said.
"And we've been doing it for the last 25 years," Wardlaw said.
Together, they're proving representation makes a difference.
"Studies have shown that when African American communities have an African American physician in their area, they have a longer life expectancy," Wardlaw said. "So, it matters."
Currently, African Americans make up about 14% of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But African Americans represent only a little more than 5% of doctors nationwide, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
"And then we talk about African American women, that number goes down to 2%," McDonald said. "So, we want to make sure that there's representation in the medical community as individuals go to get their care."
To that end, the sisters also run a nonprofit called Twin Sister Docs. They visit schools and community centers, providing mentorship and exposing the next generation to medicine at an early age.
"It's very, very important that we're putting ourselves out there because when you see yourself in another person and you see what they're doing, it just makes it all that more attainable," McDonald said.
The goal is to leave the medical field more diverse than when they entered it, in turn fostering healthier communities.
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