Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii, Boerne, TX, Hastings, MN -> Army Brat 🙂
Dr. Jennings joined the faculty in 2014 after graduating from residency at Memorial. Dr. Jennings attended medical school at the University of Michigan and originally came to South Bend for her family medicine training at Memorial. During her time at Memorial, she served as Vice Chief where she caught the teaching and administrative bug. Dr. Jennings was born in Hawaii and has lived throughout the country growing up as an Army brat. She found a true home in South Bend after experiencing what the Memorial Family and South Bend community had to offer. She has worked closely with medical student education during her time as faculty, in addition to resident morale and wellness. She transitioned to her role as program director in 2018 and is the first female program director in Memorial Family Medicine’s long history. In 2019, she completed the AFMRD National Institute of Program Directors Fellowship that helped to arm her with the tools to successfully lead the Memorial Program. She has been recognized regionally and in the health system as a “Top 40 under 40”, “Rockin’ Doc” and has received the Beacon Value Award for “Compassion.” In 2022, she graduated in the inaugural cohort of the Beacon Physician Leadership Academy. Her vision includes continuing to enhance gender, racial and cultural diversity among the residency, continuing to provide full-spectrum family medicine training focused on team-based care, actively engaging in community care, and supporting resident work-life integration. She enjoys full-spectrum practice at Memorial, loves working with and mentoring residents, and counts herself lucky to be surrounded by such an amazing team of people.
Dr. Jennings strives to find balance in her own life and, when not at work, loves spending time with her husband and three daughters. She is an intermittently active distance runner and loves traveling with her family of five. Favorite activities in the Jennings household include game nights, exploring the South Bend and Mishawaka Community and dancing in the living room.
Why Memorial: The people. Memorial was my second interview and as I interviewed at 20 other programs throughout the country, I kept coming back to this program due to the warm environment, comprehensive training, and amazing people. It felt a little too good to be true, but having gone through the training and now being on the other side, I can say unequivocally that it is as good as it seems. Our secret sauce? The people.
Clinical interests: Everything! (although I did stop my OB practice after having my second daughter)
Hobbies: Being a mom first and foremost. Running, reading, hiking, being outdoors, board games (Dominion, Pandemic, Harry Potter), traveling, puzzles.
Favorite quotes: Everything happens for a reason. –My mom
Favorite books: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Stones from the River, Man’s Search for Meaning, The Gruffalo, Guess How Much I Love You
Favorite thing to do/place to go in South Bend/Mishawaka: Playing with my girls at: Howard Park, Lion Park, Central Park. Exploring the Potawatomi Zoo. Running along trails by the river and in our neighborhood. Picnics outdoors in the summer/fall. Sledding in the winter.
