Dr. Dawson a pioneer for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatry) in Jamaica. She returned to Jamaica in 2008 to be a Lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of the West Indies (UWI) and a Consultant at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). She is the Head of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at UWI/UHWI. Dr. Dawson is the founder of Rehabilitation Institute of the Caribbean, the first multidisciplinary Rehabilitation facility in Jamaica, and at the time, the only one of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean. Dr. Dawson holds the distinction of being the only Physician in Jamaica with US board certification in Physiatry/Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She received her medical degree in 2000 from the Faculty of Medicine at UWI; after obtaining an Honors Bachelor’s Degree in the double major Biochemistry and Zoology, also from UWI. She subsequently went to Long Island Jewish Medical Center/Northshore (now Northwell Health System), Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, USA, where she completed one [1] year in General Surgery and then three [3] years Residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation/Physiatry. She then completed a Fellowship in Interventional Spine, Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine Rehabilitation from the prestigious Northwestern University/Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in 2008 just before her return to Jamaica.
He clinical expertise include medical care for adults and children with physical-musculoskeletal and neurological recovery, enabling them to regain skills after injury or illness. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, also known as Physiatry, involves the management of disorders to improve function, performance and quality of life for patients. Emphasis is placed on the optimization of function through the combined use of medications, physical modalities, physical training with therapeutic exercise, movement and activities modification, indoor therapeutic pool, adaptive equipment, orthotics (braces), prosthesis (artificial limbs), as well as speech & language training, psychological training, nutrition consultation, and patient and caregiver education. A multi-disciplinary medical team approach is utilized, which ensures that all aspects of the patient’s needs are identified, and care is adapted where the patient is the central focus.
Dr. Dawson technical skills include pioneering work in (i) fluoroscopic Interventional Spine treatment and (ii) Spasticity Management with Botulinum Toxin and Phenol injection in adults and in adults and children with neurological disease such as cerebral palsy, stroke and spinal cord injury. She is a co-founder of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Sports Medicine Clinic and one of the first group of UWI examiners for the MSc. in Sports Medicine for doctors and physiotherapists. She currently treats many professional athletes and was the team doctors for the Jamaica team to the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, 2009, World Indoor Championship in Poland in 2014, and IAAF World Championships in Qatar 2019. She is one of the team doctors the Jamaica Football Teams and treats many athletes that compete for Universities, High, and Prep/Primary schools.
She has published in peer-reviewed medical journals and has spoken at several international and local medical conferences, including the National Medical Association (NMA) Annual Meeting in Hawaii, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) Annual Assembly, Medical Association of Jamaica and Caribbean Neurosciences Symposium since 2006, Caribbean Orthopaedic Association, Jamaica Orthopaedic Association and University of the West Indies Center for Disability Studies. She is a peer reviewer for the West Indies Medical Journal and the PM&R Journal which is published by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Dr. Dawson has received numerous awards including being selected as an awardee in 2018 for UWI 70+ Outstanding Women, UWI 70th anniversary; 2012- Nominee for National Disability Award, awardee for Jamaica Celebrating 50; 2012- 50 Most Outstanding Jamaican Women in 2012; 2012- Caribbean ICONS in Science Award/NIHERST Caribbean Women in Science and Technology and Racer’s Track Club Outstanding Award for Sports Medicine. She was nominated for the prestigious Anthony Sabga award in 2023.