This Week We Feature Young Professional Elinah A. Phillip
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Some people are blessed to have the opportunity to pursue one of their dreams, it is an additional blessing to be able to pursue two.
That is the reality of Virgin Islands (VI) Olympian Elinah A. Phillip who after becoming one of the youngest athletes to represent the VI at two Olympic Games, is now pursuing a degree in dentistry at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM).
In a university student profile, Miss Phillip spoke about her swimming career and what placed her on the path to dentistry.
Swimming classes to the Olympics
Miss Phillip represented the VI at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro at just 16 years old and again at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Her journey to the Olympics began with swimming lessons in which her mother enrolled her and her sister Amarah.
For her swimming was not love at first swim as she refused to get in opting instead to sit on the sidelines and watch Amarah enjoy their new sport. An ultimatum from their mother motivated Miss Phillip to take a leap of faith into the water and she soon thrived in the sport progressing to competitive swimming.
At 12 years old, four years before she represented the VI at the Olympics, Miss Phillip’s world changed watching the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. It was then her mind was made up that she would represent the VI at the Olympics.
“I really enjoy working towards a goal,” Miss Phillip said in her school profile continuing, “It felt rewarding and I knew I was doing well for my age, but I wasn’t thinking about it too much. It was fun. It was a pretty quick development, but I was with my sister, so it just always felt fun.”
During her first Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, she placed 48th in the women’s 50-meter freestyle with a time of 26.26 seconds. She again qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games, held in Tokyo in 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, finishing 35th overall with a time of 25.74.
The path to dentistry
It was no coincidence Miss Phillip, a swimmer, took an interest in dentistry. She explained in her school profile that swimming in a pool with improperly balanced chlorine levels began affecting the enamel of her front teeth.
It was not until she started having staining and sensitivity issues she realised something was wrong.
Back home in the VI, she said she found it difficult to find a dentist who could diagnose and treat her. It would take more than a year for her to find one who gave her a fluoride treatment and polish.
She explained, “I remember that first appointment… [The dentist] gave me the mirror and I was blown away. Wow. It seemed so simple, but it affected my confidence significantly. That’s when I realized and thought, ‘Okay, this is what I want to do, this is the impact I want to have.’”
Phillip went on to Rutgers University in 2019 and transferred to Florida International University (FIU) in 2021. She graduated from FIU in 2024.
She is now a student at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine.
Balancing swimming and university
While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Miss Phillip continued to swim setting several school records becoming a finalist in the Big 10 Championship during her freshman year at Rutgers University.
After transferring to FIU, she helped her team there win a several conference championships, became conference champion in her events and even earned Newcomer of the Year title.
She not only flourished in the pool but in her school work balancing dentistry with 20 hour weekly training sessions.
It was during the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021, she finished a virtual pre-dentistry summer program the day before she was set to compete.
Miss Phillip said, “It required a lot of discipline, but ultimately, I can’t complain because the discipline’s going to serve me well now. I never felt like it was anything to complain about. I knew what I wanted. It was just stepping stones to get to my goal.”
The future
Her acceptance into GSDM she described as the dental equivalent of qualifying for the Olympics. The now 24-year-old said her goal is to help support underserved communities while improving access to adequate, equitable healthcare.
“For me, it’s always been about impact and being able to give back,” Phillip said in her student profile adding, “Dentistry is just an ideal way to do that.”
Miss Phillip moved to the United Kingdom with her family in 2012.
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17 Responses to “This Week We Feature Young Professional Elinah A. Phillip ”
Wishing you well dear young lady and may the good Lord bless and keep you
I couldn't be more thrilled to see Elinah making headlines for her incredible achievements. Her hard work and determination serve as a shining example for all BVI athletes, inspiring us to push our limits each day. Her journey is inspiring and her success as an exceptional student- athlete is remarkable.