Meet Dr. Manju Dawkins | Board Certified Dermatologist and founder of Thimble

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Manju Dawkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Manju, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I grew up on the east coast in Maryland and I loved basketball growing up. My dream was to play in college. One of my coaches didn’t think all 5 foot 2 of me could make it, but when I got to Columbia I walked on Division I Varsity women’s basketball team, played all four years, and ended up captain.

While at Columbia my dean advised me not to apply to med school, but I did it anyways and went to University of Maryland (Thanks goodness for in-state tuition!) My dean there said I would never get into a Dermatology residency. And I did have to do an extra year of research, but I eventually trained at Albert Einstein College of Medicine where I served as Chief Resident.

I was an Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and have worked in
in academics, private practice, and managed care organizations. I’ve gotten a taste of many facets of medicine and medical practice and love where I practice now in Los Angeles.

But who am I. Well 1. I thrive on underestimation. I dislike suffering/ I don’t like to be in pain and I really don’t like seeing others in pain. Schadenfreude was not a thing for me. I was also that kid who ran away from doctors and nurses wielding needles. I was that resident that loathed biopsying children (oh the tears and wails!) and I am also still that doctor who “ chats too much” with patients.

All of those things about who I really am made me doubt myself for the majority of my life and career. I thought a lot of those traits made me a bad doctor. But I later realized, nope – that just makes me a empathetic human being. Recently I’ve decided to just be exactly who I am, and I am enjoying where it is taking me in entrepreneurship and in practice.

What should our readers know about your business?
At Thimble, we’re setting the new standard of care for needle procedures. Our compassionate solutions take the fear and pain out of shots and blood draws – empowering patients and their care teams, improving public health and paving the way for greater empathy across the healthcare experience.

Since we last chatted, we launched the Recover patch with turmeric and arnica to reduce soreness, swelling and bruising from needles. Has it been easy? No! But every testimonial and review from the men, women, and children using the product makes it 100% worthwhile. When we originally launched Thimble™, we actually planned to bring another product to market first. And then while we were in development, we received an overwhelming response to bring the Recover patch to market as quickly as possible. We didn’t anticipate it, but listening to the needs of our patients and customers is #1, so we made the pivot. And then we kept listening and pivoting in every step – what quantities we offered, what the messaging was, and even where it’s sold. My end goal is to make it easier for people to get the healthcare that they need.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh gosh, I shared some of my favorite gems the last time we chatted, so it’s a good thing LA is such a sprawling, ever-changing city. We’re South Bay bubble people, and love to show off the relaxing beachy vibe, great food and shops. I love a morning walk on the beach before the crowds hit the strand. Tommy and Atticus is a new locally owned bakery with amazing pastries. And I’ll share an underground secret of the South Bay – Baran’s burritos. They’re a phenomenal, Michelin rated, dinner spot and they started a take out only burrito business. You have to order ahead via Instagram or call though – don’t miss out. We also love taking guests to sushi or Japanese in Torrance. The food can’t be beat and it’s so interesting to learn the history of how this community was established here.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate the shoutout to my daughters who are the inspiration for this company and who lift me up during the hard times that inevitably come. They are my greatest teachers.

Website: www.thimblehealth.com

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