8
S moke S ignals
JUNE 15, 2018
The doctor is in
Empey will be the first Tribal member pediatrician working in Grand Ronde
By Danielle Frost
Smoke Signals staff writer
When Allison Empey starts as a
pediatrician at the Health & Well-
ness Center in August, she will be
the first Tribal member to serve in
that role.
However, she is not the first
Tribal member to become a pedi-
atrician. That distinction goes to
her older sister, 37-year-old Erica
Empey Benthin, who works for
Kaiser Permanente.
“Erica was a big source of inspira-
tion to me,” Empey, 35, says. “I al-
ways knew if I went back to school,
it would be in pediatrics because I
have always enjoyed working with
kids and families.”
The two sisters grew up in Mc-
Minnville. Their Grand Ronde
ancestry comes through mother
Joann Empey and grandmother
Hattie Riggs.
When Empey became interested
in medical school, she went to her
sister for more information, al-
though Benthin kept the details of
how grueling a medical residency
program could be from her younger
sister.
“She didn’t tell me how hard
it was because she didn’t want
to scare me,” Empey says with a
smile.
Benthin had been interested in
being a doctor for most of her life,
but for Empey that desire came
midway through her senior year
at Stanford.
“I realized what a cool career it
could be, but at that point I was
too far along to change tracks,”
she says.
After earning her bachelor’s de-
gree in 2006, Empey worked for a
year doing consulting to try and use
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal member and pediatrician Allison Empey will be seeing patients two days
every other week at the Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Clinic starting in August.
her degree.
But medicine kept calling and
Empey was accepted into George-
town University, where she fulfilled
the pre-med requirements.
She attended medical school
at University of California San
Francisco from 2009 to 2013, and
a residency program at Oregon
Health & Science University from
2013 to 2016.
“Medical school was challeng-
ing, but I would say residency is
harder. … It is a different kind of
challenge,” Empey says.
After her pediatrics residency
program was complete, Empey
applied for and was accepted to
serve an additional year as a chief
resident.
“You are in charge of a lot of edu-
cation for residents,” she says. “You
serve as a liaison between them and
the faculty. … I love teaching and I
like mentorship, and thought that
would be a neat way to do it.”
Canoe PaddlePractice
Every Wednesday from 2pm-5pm Until July
At Willamina Pond (Huddelston Pond Park)
Never been in our tribal
canoes? This is a great place to
start learning!
Open to Grand Ronde Tribal
Members and Tribal Community.
For more information
contact:
Flicka Lucero
503-879-2268
Flicka.Lucero@grandronde.org
Currently, Empey works in the
academic pediatrics field, which is
when a doctor works at a university
and has interests in scholarly work
such as research, advocacy and
medical education in addition to
working with residents who treat
patients.
She also works with outpatients
as well as patients in the OHSU
newborn nursery.
After joining the Grand Ronde
Health Committee in 2017, Empey
met Health Services Executive Direc-
tor Kelly Rowe, who mentioned the
Tribe was looking for a pediatrician.
“I was just finishing up my chief
year and wanted more experience
first, but we kept in touch with each
other,” Empey says. “My depart-
ment has been really supportive of
it as well.”
Empey, who lives in Portland,
will be in Grand Ronde two days
every other week.
“I am excited because it will be
an opportunity to give back to my
Tribe,” she says. “Everyone has
been so supportive of me through
the years.”
Benthin, who has two toddlers,
recently attended a Mother’s Day
Tea with Empey when she learned
that her position in Grand Ronde
would be announced at the event.
“I am just so proud of her,” she
says. “I love my job and love being
a physician, and I know she does,
too. It is such a good career. I am
really impressed with what she has
done so far and how she was able to
work it out to come here and work
at OHSU.”
Benthin says that when Empey
was a resident, she started the
“Reach Out and Read,” program
at the clinic, where doctors give
patients newborn to age 5 a book
at the conclusion of their medical
appointments.
“She went over and beyond and
found books specifically for Native
children,” Benthin says. “I was re-
ally happy to see her do that.”
Rowe says she is pleased to have
Empey on board.
“It is an absolute honor and
privilege to have Allison join the
clinic,” she says. “To know that a
Grand Ronde Tribal member is
providing care to our kids and is a
part of making our Tribe healthy
and strong is powerful.”
Empey says she is hoping to see
her patients out and about in Grand
Ronde, something that she doesn’t
currently experience working in a
large city.
“I am excited to be a part of the
community,” she says.
Empey says that working for the
Tribe will give her the opportunity
to blend her two passions of Native
American health and medicine.
In addition to her work on the
Grand Ronde Health Committee,
Empey also serves on the American
Academy of Pediatrics Committee
on Native American Child Health.
The group visits different Indian
Health Service locations and also
advocates in Congress.
“Our patients can’t vote, but
are some of the most vulnerable
population,” she says. “They need
a voice.”
Her advice for other Tribal mem-
bers who are considering becoming
doctors, but are not sure if they can
do it, is to try.
“They are smart enough and
good enough,” Empey says. “Many
people before them have created a
path for them to follow and they
have the support of their Tribe.”
SAVE THE DATE
Canoe Camp
June 15th-17th, 2018
Willamette Park in West Linn, Or
The Grand Ronde Canoe Family will be spending three days on the
water preparing for the 2018 Canoe Journey to Puyallup. Please
join us as we practice paddling, singing, dancing, and learning
about our canoes and protocols.
Open to Grand Ronde tribal families and tribal community.
Contact Flicka Lucero for more information:
flicka.lucero@grandronde.org | 503-879-2268