Alumni Profile

Talking with Dr. Eve Espey, you can't help but be infected with her devotion and enthusiasm for her chosen career. As an academic Obstetrician and Gynecologist she is striving to improve local women's access to contraception, reduce unwanted pregnancies and educate them about abortion. Recurrent awards for best clinical faculty from her 4th year medical students speak for themselves, and reconfirm the University of New Mexico's decision to appoint her as the Associate Dean of Students. Eve also serves on the boards of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, and Society of Family Planning. She has also worked closely with local Navajo Indian women, which has helped bridge a gap between the Native Americans and their surrounding community.

Dr. Espey's life revolves around her devotion to reproductive health. From obtaining her MD and Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the University of California in Irvine and subsequent clinical practice at the University of New Mexico, she keeps renewing her commitment and love for her chosen career. She comments, "I had always looked at medical care as a one-on-one patient-doctor relationship." Until deciding to embark on her Masters in Public Health (MPH), she had never linked her own career with that of Public Health. It wasn't until she actually embarked on her Masters in Public Health that she became aware of how correlated the subject was to her own career. It was while working with the Indian Health Service in Gallup, New Mexico that she became interested in this field. Her interest brought her to the MPH at the University of Washington. "This decision changed my career in a major way. I really had an epiphany while studying for my MPH; it was the first time I realized that I could have a wide spread impact on a population, not just an individual." She became aware of how access to public health intervention can have a huge impact on health, poverty and social justice. Her MPH also equipped her with skills to design and manage her media campaigns, along with helping her to find more ways to raise money and obtain state funds.

Ever since her advent as a physician, Dr. Espey's resume has grown as has her career. Her achievements are widespread and notable: they include her current positions of Associate Dean of Students and Associate Professor, Department of OB GYN. During her six years with the Indian Health Service, she served as Chief of Staff and Ambulatory Care Director, Consultant with Zuni, Indian Health Services. She speaks at numerous lectures, conferences and meetings. She also has to her name a number of Teaching Excellence Awards as well as one from the Navajo Indian Health Service Area for Exceptional Performance.

One of her notable achievements and ongoing projects is her work with the local Navajo women. "Unfortunately, there is a high teenage and unwanted pregnancy rate amongst this population." She adds a citation from one of her more recent papers, "The Intrauterine Device (IUD) once accounted for about half of contraceptive use among Navajo women but is now little used in this population. Identifying barriers to use – including those stemming from providers' IUD-related knowledge, attitudes and practices – could help expand use of this method." Provider attitude and knowledge was, in fact, her survey topic in her MPH thesis too. She is actively working at reeducating local primary care providers on the newer, safer, and effective IUDs available and has had considerable success in her endeavors.

Health care seems to run in her family. Her husband David is an Epidemiologist while her older son is in the 2nd year of his ENT residency. Her younger son, though only 9, already shares some of his older brother's passions; they are both avid fans of the Angels baseball team! "My family is extremely supportive of my work, especially as our lives revolve around healthcare. I even hold meetings at home for my students as I am both a student advisor and a mentor for a women's health interest group."

Dr. Eve Espey truly believes in her reproductive health research and advocacy work. "If women don't have control over their reproduction, then I don't think they have the opportunity to control or reach their full potential socially, economically and in equality." To this end, Dr. Espey has been the promoter of a Family Planning Rotation which is now offered to all students and residents at the University of New Mexico, School of Medicine.