Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Kelly Marsh, MD.
Hi Patricia Kelly, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In a pivotal juncture of my life, Ask Me Your MD, Inc. (AMY MD) entered my world precisely when I was grappling with the most daunting circumstances. It was a time when my father’s life hung in the balance within a hospital room, and the absence of the on-call resident left me with no choice but to take charge. In a desperate bid to secure urgent care for him, I assumed the role of physician-advocate, easily navigating the labyrinthine of the healthcare system and reaching out to the key physician who could save my father. This experience, more common than one might imagine, resonated deeply, casting light on the helplessness that often shrouds individuals in similar predicaments. It was during this phase that the potent “What if…I wasn’t there or I wasn’t a doctor?” query set forth a revelation—prompting me to extend the same advocacy that I provided to my father to a global community.
This pivotal experience forged a newfound sense of purpose and a mission of global proportions. The inception of AMY MD materialized as a response to the uncertainties faced by caregivers, parents, and patients. My vision was to form a coalition of like-minded physicians united by a shared commitment: to educate, advocate, and navigate individuals through their unique health journeys. The objective was clear—to dismantle the agonizing waiting periods that often exacerbate the distress of healthcare decision-making and increase overall healthcare costs. Through AMY MD, immediate access to informed medical guidance would transform confusion into clarity, chaos into calmness, and complexity into unwavering certainty.
From this foundational aspiration emerged AMY MD, a trailblazing ‘telechat” platform that connects patients directly to licensed, board-certified physicians via real-time messaging. In stark contrast to the traditional practice of waiting days for responses or appointments, AMY MD leverages technology to offer swift and effective answers to pressing medical inquiries. The platform stands as an invaluable resource during emotionally charged moments, such as when grappling with decisions like “…should I pull the plug?” or confronting the uncertainty of a new medical diagnosis. AMY MD stands ready to provide the insights needed to make informed choices when navigating blood tests and imaging results, translating the intricate into the intelligible.
Central to AMY MD’s innovative approach is the concept of telechat—a fusion of “telemedicine” and “chat.” This notion encapsulates the essence of the platform, where individuals engage in live, expert medical consultations through instant messaging. AMY MD’s position transcends that of a mere information provider., but strips away implicit bias and racism. Armed with specialized insights and a commitment to advocating for optimal care, the platform intervenes to expedite appointments and offer guidance while awaiting specialist consultations, granting a sense of serenity in moments of anxiety.
In retrospect, AMY MD’s journey traces its origins to a deeply personal crisis—a moment when advocating for my father’s life birthed a mission that now touches lives on a global scale. Emerging from the shadows of uncertainty, AMY MD is a guiding light in healthcare advocacy. It bridges the divide between medical expertise and those in need, imparting confidence, clarity, and compassion. As the journey continues, the unwavering mission of AMY MD persists—to transmute the overwhelming into the manageable, the unclear into the assured, and the disempowered into the empowered.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road of AMY MD has been riddled with challenges. Departing from a place of familiarity and comfort, I placed my confidence in the belief that my divine calling would guide me to green pastures. I was entrenched in the conventional nine-to-five, managing a patient load of twenty-one individuals daily within the constraints of a “twenty-minute” appointment slot. While the connections with patients resonated with me, my affinity for technology remained distinct from my medical career.
Balancing my roles as a physician during the day and an inventor during all other hours, I channeled my creativity into designing mobile and web applications that delivered entertainment. My identities as an inventor, scientist, physician, technologist, and leader eventually culminated in AMY MD, which began as an idea in November 2021. I took the daring leap into full-fledged entrepreneurship, bidding farewell to the disjointed life I had been leading. In January 2022, I ushered in the New Year by transitioning from a comfortable six-figure salary to zero income. Yes, you read that correctly—zero income. I ventured forth without assurance, like leaping from a plane without checking for a parachute. My comfort resided in the divine dream and profound global vision God gave me.
Struggle has been a constant companion throughout my journey. As a Black woman in medicine, my presence is an anomaly. The reservoir of knowledge within me is equally unique. The improbable journey from College Park, Georgia, to a blossoming health tech billionaire is unparalleled. Despite the odds, I embarked on this path from the outset, driven by the echoing words of my Love T. Nolan Elementary School Motto: “If you can believe it, you can achieve it!”
However, simplicity eluded me. I dared to graduate from Swarthmore College when funds were scarce. Navigating the challenge of affording the prep courses, the MCAT, and application expenses forced a year between college and medical school. I toiled in a laboratory, saving and amassing additional loans for MCAT prep. The financial burden was substantial, yet my resolve never wavered; I pressed onward to become a physician.
A crushing blow arrived when Morehouse School of Medicine failed to receive my entry fee and letter for the Class of 2013. I grappled with the impending deadline for class declaration and only six other medical school options because that’s all I could afford to interview. An email from Temple University School of Medicine, the most costly out-of-state tuition in the US, offered me acceptance. Yet again, financial constraints failed to deter me.
Financial limitations loomed large, resulting in immense stress. Lack of resources once again hindered adequate prep courses, and I failed my licensing exam by six points. My dream of becoming a surgeon dwindled as I paid to retake the exam. Despite setbacks, I persevered passing and applying to surgical residencies. Scrounging funds for applications, I secured four interviews, only one of which was for surgery. However, I did not receive a residency match, depriving me of graduation and my dream of surgery. Forced to halt my final class and extend medical school by a year, I accumulated an entire year of out-of-state tuition -additional debt. In the darkness of this period, my family provided unwavering support and light, celebrating me as if I had already graduated with an MD.
Returning home to Atlanta, I sought employment but found none, lacking an MD and faced with an impossible job market. Rejection followed my 40+ applications, and I faced loan default, impending car repossession, and the necessity of moving into my brother’s garage. Meanwhile, social media showcased my friends embarking on new residency positions, amplifying my sense of despair.
A glimmer of hope emerged through my sister-in-law’s burgeoning musical career, which I documented through photography and videography. (By the way, these create skills were essential to the initial marketing strategies for all my businesses.) Immersed in music and her accomplishments, we journeyed life together, enhancing our physical fitness and focusing on nurturing our aspirations. Ultimately, I took out my final school loan to reapply for residency, this time in Family Medicine, but still threw in a few surgery programs. You can’t kill my hope! I could only afford to take my top six interviews. I miraculously matched into my #1 program in Los Angeles.
However, the reality of LA’s exorbitant cost of living was inescapable. Though the program offered subsidized housing, a food allowance, and exam fee reimbursements, upfront payment was required. The hospital foundation advanced the necessary funds, reimbursed by the Residency Office! I was believing! Yet, I still found myself sleeping on the floor where ants crawled on my face due to the inability to afford a bed. Overcoming the challenges of low credit scores and electricity activation fees, I trudged through hardship during residency. I bore witness to heart-wrenching patient experiences, rapidly adopting coping mechanisms to manage the care of numerous individuals. Simultaneously, I was dealing with personal heartbreak compounded with the loss of my Aunt Joyce, whose $75 gave me gas from Atlanta to LA. Struggle was my constant companion, yet each year, I persevered and grew in resilience.
Board exams, licenses and DEA renewals surfaced as further financial hurdles. My moonlighting privileges were revoked, yet I clung to my faith. Again, the hospital foundation provided financial support, ensuring timely payment and prompting a commitment to “pay it forward” in the future. As I neared residency graduation, an unexpected hurdle arose when only a few days before the ceremony, the program director questioned my hours. Fortunately, meticulous documentation illustrated several hours over because of additional shifts I took because I could not afford to go home for the holidays; I even missed my father’s 60th birthday party.
This is but a taste of further struggles that accompanied me on my journey. I have transcended my origins of College Park, GA, to emerge as a board-certified Family Medicine physician. The prospect of a six-figure salary and newfound financial freedom lay before me to finally build my inventions. Yet, as I started off this story saying, I relinquished all that money to forge ahead with Ask Me Your MD, Inc. This decision was borne from the journey of starting with nothing but a divine dream fueled by faith, belief, and action. Eleven months after starting AMY MD, we partnered with CVS Health. The struggles continue, but in the words of Rev. Bone Crusher, “I ain’t neva scared”.
I’ve rewritten that elementary school mantra: If you can believe it, you can achieve it if you continue believing and working to achieve it!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m Dr. Patricia Kelly Marsh, MD, a board-certified Family Medicine physician with over a decade of clinical experience. Alongside my medical background, I’ve achieved the status of a three-time published scientist and have developed two web and mobile applications. My commitment lies in harnessing technology to elevate healthcare outcomes on a global scale. As CEO of Ask Me Your MD, Inc., I’ve secured a pivotal contract with CVS Health, solidifying our role as a community partner. Additionally, my influence extended to the realm of CVS Health Clinical Trial Services, where I earned a spot on the National Steering Committee. I’ve won numerous awards and am most honored for Forbes features as an American Heart Association Leader of Impact and a winner of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Award.
Being a black woman making strides in medicine, technology, and science, I’m driven by a desire to be a global inspiration. My aim is to encourage them to pursue leadership and excellence while pursuing their dreams.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My unwavering faith, along with courage and resilience are characteristics that I attribute most to my success. These qualities are rooted in a compassionate heart and passion for science, medicine, creativity, music, and innovation. My mission of creating positive global impact is vehicled in the birth of ideas to working, scaling, and growing businesses.
Pricing:
- AMY MD Annual Adult Subscription $420
- AMY MD Annual Student Subscription $365
- AMY MD Monthly Adult Subscription $50
- AMY MD Monthly Student Subscription $35
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.askmeyourmd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pkels86/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patricia.kelly.marsh
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciakellymarsh
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/askmeyourmd
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@askmeyourmd
