Portia Thomas

A childhood role model helped inspire Portia Thomas to pursue a career in medicine and research.

Diversity role model inspires career path

Portia Thomas grew up in Doerun, Georgia, a small, rural city named by pioneer hunters as a place with “a perfect doe run,” where the population has hovered around 800 people for the past 30 years. A childhood impression lifted her aspirations beyond her hometown and inspired her to pursue a career as a physician-scientist.