When Megan Quimper, MD, traveled to Liberia in April, she joined a physician leadership team working to build a partnership that could strengthen obstetrics and gynecology residency training at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia.
The effort was launched by JustWONDOOR, an Ohio-based nonprofit organization that advances OBGYN graduate medical education in low-resource settings.
The need is urgent. Liberia has a high maternal mortality rate, and one or two maternal deaths occur each day at JFK Medical Center, Liberia’s flagship medical institution, established in 1971 in honor of President John F. Kennedy.
Quimper said the crisis is not because of a lack of skill among JFK’s OBGYN physicians, whom she described as well trained, highly competent and “doing heroic work.” Instead, she said, the challenge is a severe shortage of physicians and long delays in care for patients.
JFK has four OBGYN physicians overseeing about 20 residents. By comparison, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has more than 60 OBGYN faculty members overseeing 44 residents. Quimper said the shortage makes residency supervision challenging and creates an opportunity for JustWONDOOR to create a successful partnership for the OBGYN training program. She and her team hope to support JFK’s OBGYN residents through additional supervision and clinical education in a busy hospital setting.
Before leaving for Liberia, Quimper contacted the Center for African Studies to deepen her understanding of the country. Jacien Carr, assistant director of the center, helped prepare Quimper by leading sessions on Liberia’s history, culture and politics.
Quimper said the engagement was a success and her team will partner with Liberia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons and JFK Medical Center to support the OBGYN residency program.
For her dedication to her craft, courage, service, entrepreneurship and commitment to Ohio State, Quimper received the Center for African Studies Award for Excellence in Leadership and Community Engagement for 2025-26.