(From Dr. Pamela Wible & supporters of Dr. Dorender Gray)

Tragically, many physicians across the country have died by suicide in Physician Health Programs.

We cannot bring back those we’ve lost.

But we can help Dr. Gray today.

A beloved doctor and star student at the University of Washington, Dorender Gray was on the cusp of achieving her dream—becoming an obstetrician-gynecologist devoted to caring for underserved women.

As a Ghanaian immigrant, first-generation college student, and first physician in her family, her achievements were even celebrated in UW marketing materials.

With just two years of residency training left, everything changed.

Dr. Gray raised concerns about harsher scrutiny witnessed by co-residents, inconsistent feedback, and lack of guidance.

She was later told she had to repeat six months of training, including a rotation she had just completed. When she questioned the lack of prior feedback during that rotation, her attending said she “no longer gives feedback to residents of color.”

Dr. Gray felt depressed and requested time off to attend therapy. Instead, her program sent her to Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP), a program founded as a drug rehab for doctors that UW policy mandates physicians use for clearance to return to work. Dr. Gray had no substance abuse issues. She had a history of ADHD on prescribed meds.

Yet WPHP required drug testing and a three-day mental health evaluation by “preferred providers” at a Colorado mental health and addiction center.

Completing these requirements forced her into a nearly two-month leave of absence, resulting in lost income and professional humiliation.

WPHP ultimately deemed her safe to practice and communicated this directly to her program, without sending a formal clearance letter. Dr. Gray returned to work and received excellent evaluations.

But WPHP wasn’t done with her.

They required more neuropsychological testing to “verify” her long-standing ADHD diagnosis. WPHP referred her for an eight-hour evaluation with Dr. Lori Woehler, PsyD, a recent graduate with little neuropsychological testing experience.

She diagnosed Dr. Gray with an “Unspecified Neurocognitive Disorder” and recommended immediate removal from work, brain imaging, more neurological testing, and trauma therapy.

Dr. Gray later received her report—riddled with errors such as “lingering distress over her brother’s suicide attempt” and “childhood trauma.” Yet her brother never attempted suicide and she had no such trauma.

She alerted WPHP that the report must not be hers, but they dismissed errors as a “copy/paste issue” and required Dorender’s compliance to resume her career.

Dr. Gray got a second opinion from Dr. Phyllis Sanchez, PhD, a clinical neuropsychologist with 25 years of experience and former Director of UW Neuropsychology Clinic.

Dr. Sanchez concluded that Dr. Woehler had made serious scoring errors, leading to wrong diagnoses. She confirmed Dr. Gray’s ADHD, found no major deficits, and cleared Dr. Gray to return to work.

WPHP acknowledged no medical reason to keep her out, and her residency planned for her return. Yet WPHP refused to send a formal clearance letter.

Why? Dr. Gray had an outstanding $350 bill.

When Dr. Gray sought clarification, she found WPHP overcharged her at a “professional rate” instead of a “resident rate.”

Out of work for half a year due to WPHP’s errors, Dr. Gray tried to sort out the billing mess while WPHP held her career hostage for another payment—even though her program already scheduled her to work.

Her first week back, Dr. Gray received accolades—even from the program director. Yet because she returned a few days before paying her $350 bill, WPHP told UW she was not cleared to work. The result: WPHP ended her contract, UW suspended her, then terminated her from residency.

A UW Grievance Review Committee unanimously called her dismissal arbitrary and capricious, but the dean upheld her termination.

WPHP then sent her another $50 invoice for unspecified “services” performed after her termination.

Today Dr. Gray is unemployed and owes more than $150,000 in student loans.

This is not an isolated case.

Dorender’s story demonstrates how PHPs that claim to “save lives and careers” can instead isolate, bankrupt, and destroy doctors’ lives.

Dr. Gray is now serving as a lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against WPHP.

By supporting Dorender, you’re not only helping one dedicated physician reclaim her career—you’re challenging a system that too often punishes vulnerability. Your support helps create safer paths for doctors to access mental health care without fear of losing everything.

You Can Help Dr. Gray Right Now

Your donation directly helps Dorender cover:

No funds collected through this GoFundMe will be used to cover Dr. Gray’s legal fees or expenses of any kind.

TAKE ACTION

✅ Donate and share this campaign.

✅ Download 24-page PDF class action lawsuit here .

✅ Share your own PHP story with Dr. Wible here .

Thank you for reading, sharing, and giving what you can. Your kindness brings Dr. Gray closer to her calling—caring for mothers and babies in underserved communities.

Together, we can help Dorender reclaim her future.

In gratitude,

Dr. Pamela Wible & supporters of Dr. Dorender Gray

❤️