Join the conversation on 5th August from 12:30pm to 01:00pm as Adrian Bell speaks to Dr. Michele Prendergast about common skin conditions and how CBD can help you with your ailments. We will be live on IG @zimmerglobal.
We did a Q&A with Dr. Michele J. Prendergast to get to know her a little better. Here are the questions and answers from this.
Z: What book are you reading right now?
Dr P: Emotional Intelligence 2.0
Z: How do you start your day – what’s the first thing you do in the morning?
Dr P: Get up… just kidding….really big stretch then coffee.
Z: What keeps you motivated?
Dr P: Making a positive difference in people’s lives.
Z: When did you decide you wanted to become a doctor?
Dr P: From childhood
Z: What is the one quality you value most in another person?
Dr P: Integrity
Z: What inspired you to get into medicine?
Dr P: I really can’t pinpoint but I think subconsciously it was my brother who was ill as a child.
Z: If you were in charge of healthcare in Jamaica what is one thing you would change tomorrow?
Dr P: The bureaucratic BS…. Make it easier for access to proper healthcare… and nothing in life is free …. so I would have government facilities charge minimal fees so the quality of the healthcare would improve and also institute something similar to Medicare.
Z: If you were to rate the standard of healthcare available in Jamaica (1 lowest – 10 highest) what grade would you give it and why?
Dr P: I would put it at 3-4 on the public side & 8-9 privately….always room for improvement! Just look at what’s going on now with COVID we are overwhelmed but those who have the power to decentralize testing won’t for whatever reason. We need to work in unison and not divided into public vs private …. we are all doctors.
Z: What do you consider your greatest strengths?
Dr P: Empathy, being practical, knowledge of medicine and it’s application and genuinely caring.
Z: What does life after medicine look like for you?
Dr P: Well we don’t really retire but travel is a big one on my list …..I want to experience different cultures and do my bucket list at my own pace.
About Dr. Prendergast
Dr. Michele Prendergast, a licensed Primary Care Physician, was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Science and graduated Cum Laude from Florida International University, later earning her Medical Degree from the University of The West Indies in Jamaica.
Dr. Prendergast until recently worked in the island’s busiest hospital: Kingston Public Hospital in downtown Kingston. Here she honed her clinical, diagnostic and treatment skills in Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Surgery (minor) and Emergency Medicine. Her experience also includes neonatal and pediatric medical care via her work at the island’s only children’s hospital Bustamante Hospital for Children and Victoria Jubilee Hospital.
Today Dr. Prendergast practices privately from her practice Manor Medical Centre Limited in Kingston 8, Manor Park Plaza. She also works at Medical Associates Hospital in the Accident & Emergency Department as an Emergency Medical Officer. Medical House Calls are available by referral for non-ambulant patients. She is a dedicated health professional and is committed to providing all her patients with the best care possible. She also maintains that, if necessary, a multidisciplinary approach to treatment be implemented.
Dr. Prendergast believes that what has partially contributed to having a successful practice is being able to empathize with her patients and their loved ones. She attributes this to attending medical school while being a wife and the mother of two young sons. Life’s lessons become invaluable when dealing with illness and its impact on an individual and their unique circumstances.
She is a member of the JMDA, MAJ, UWI Medical Alumni and MPS.