Meet Dineasha Potter-McQuilkin: OB/GBYN, Lifestyle Medicine Physician, & Menopause Care Expert

Elektra Health is thrilled to have Dineasha Potter-McQuilkin on our clinical team. As a double board-certified OB/GYN and Lifestyle Medicine physician, Dineasha brings a unique combination of expertise to her practice. We caught up to learn more about Dineasha’s path to not one but three specialties, and how her family legacy of in healthcare has shaped her approach to care.

Did you always know you wanted to go into medicine?

Since I was about ten, I knew I wanted to help people. I didn’t know at the time if that was medicine, teaching, or social work. My mom is a nurse, and extremely nurturing. I did some rotations in high school at the hospital where she worked. I volunteered for something called the Sickle Cell Project, which she ran. From there, I kind of put two and two together. Being able to help people, and loving being in the hospital setting, in addition to my love of science— that’s how medicine came into play.

How did having a parent in healthcare influence your approach to clinical care?

My mom is a really compassionate and caring person, so I could see how she gravitated towards nursing. She was a hematology oncology nurse in pediatrics, and seeing her and the way she interacted with her patients has helped me a lot as a doctor. Even as a doctor, I like to get down and personal with the patient so they feel comfortable talking with me — that’s the way she was in nursing care. People sometimes think of nurses as the caring ones and doctors as the serious ones, but you can be a very caring doctor, allowing patients to open up especially with sensitive subjects. The only way you’re going to help patients is by knowing what’s truly going on with them.

You’re both a board-certified OB/GYN and Lifestyle Medicine physician. How do these certifications and areas of expertise work together for you?

I’ve been board-certified in OB/GYN for over ten years, and I practiced traditional OB/GYN – obstetrics and gynecology for most of it. In 2019 as I was entering my 40s, and my patients who I’d been seeing for a while were aging with me, I decided to become certified through the Menopause Society to gain a better understanding of midlife wellness. Some of the symptoms my patients were presenting with I was experiencing as well. All of that drove me to seek that extra education that you generally don’t get in medical school or residency. When I speak to my patients, I tell them that it’s truly a holistic approach, not just for menopause but for general midlife wellness. You need the lifestyle component – that’s the backbone of it all.

Generally, in medicine we tell patients to eat less and exercise more– but what does that mean, right? Like, how many berries do I put on the plate? I wanted extra knowledge in lifestyle medicine so I knew exactly what to tell my patients. So, I became Lifestyle Medicine certified in 2022, and I put all of that together. With my patients, anytime we talk about menopause care, yes, we talk about the potential use of hormones, supplements— but lifestyle is really the backbone.

You’ve been seeing patients at Elektra Health three months now. What has struck you during that time?

I find that my patients come in with a lot of knowledge — possibly because they’ve already started with their primary care provider or GYN, didn’t feel heard, and did some research on their own. So they are already familiar with menopause symptoms and potential treatment options, and come in with questions. Elektra’s education platform and doulas are also a key part, and when the patients have some level of education, we can really dive into everything during their visit. And, the telehealth model allows for more time because people have already done their intake and I know what they are experiencing.

Rapid fire round with a few fun questions…

Your favorite place to hike…

My favorite place to hike would be the Catskills. My brother in law has a cabin there, and I try to go in the fall when the foliage changes. It’s so picturesque. I tell my patients to try and do something once a week, or ideally once a day, to de-stress, and this is my de-stressing time.

What you’re reading right now…
Right now, I’m re-reading Grit by Angela Duckworth. It talks about how the most successful people have a lot of grit, which really means they don’t stop. I’m re-reading it with my son right now, who will be 16 in June.