Dr. Jacqueline Newel began her studies in science and medicine in college, earning a B.S. in Biochemistry from La Sierra University in 2009 graduating Summa Cum Laude. She served as secretary of the premedical club, organizing and attending annual medical mission trips to Guatemala. She was the head of the Chemistry Club and the Biodiesel Project.

She attended medical school at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, graduating with honors in psychopharmacology, pharmacology, internal medicine, microbiology, and cell biology in 2015 and being awarded and recognized for her exceptional diagnostic skills. 

She was awarded a competitive Post-Sophomore Fellowship in Pathology from 2011–2012, where she performed the same duties as a medical resident, with special training in surgical, clinical, autopsy, hematological, and oncological pathology. She was selected out of 20 residents and fellows to present a rare case of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma at the international 11th Annual Swatek Pathology Reunion and Conference.

Dr. Newel completed 13 months of a pathology residency, and practiced medicine as a licensed resident physician in Colorado Springs, CO. She performed bone marrow biopsies and cared for patients in hematopathology and oncology. She studied autopsy pathology and worked at the El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office as a forensic pathologist. Dr. Newel has performed over 50 autopsies and written the associated legal reports. She is trained to scrutinize medical records to catch abnormalities otherwise missed by others. An autopsy pathologist must thoroughly understand the pathophysiology and treatment of disease and the consequences of injuries better than the treating physician because every detail must be taken into account when determining the cause of death.

She spent the next year as the Head Clinical Psychiatric Manager at an inpatient and outpatient psychiatric hospital in Colorado Springs, Compass Health. She interviewed and assessed patients, led clinical staff, briefed psychiatrists on assessment, treatment, and plan, read genetic test results, and coordinated patient records with outside providers. During patient interviews, it is integral to observe and note slight behavior or mood changes and keep detailed notes in the patient chart to notice patterns or correlations between medications and other factors in patient affect, and it is essential to review medical records to detect any changes or abnormalities to aid diagnosis in both patients at admission and follow-up.. Dr. Newel was also tasked with reviewing both psychiatric and general medical records, as physiological abnormalities can manifest as or influence psychiatric illness.

Dr. Newel earned her M.S. in Cognition and Neuroscience in 2022 at the University of Texas at Dallas. She worked as an associate neuropharmaceutical researcher and Senior Electrophysiologist from 2018-2022 studying drug development and testing in addiction, migraine, and pain. She designed and executed preclinical studies, contributed to grant proposals, publications, literature reviews and other academic writing. As a peer-review editor she is well-versed in critical analysis and review of the literature. She is adept at searching the literature to find answers to clinical and scientific queries, stays current on new developments, and finds quality resources to support her research and writing. Dr. Newel understands pharmacology and the pathophysiology of complex disease from a deep scientific and clinical standpoint.

Dr. Newel is the founder of Athenamedica. She is a private patient advocate specializing in medical guidance. This involves reviewing all of the patient’s medical records, noting abnormalities, errors, or inconsistencies, summarizing the results, and communicates with providers if needed. She educates the patient on their illnesses and treatment plans. She also contracts with pharmaceutical companies and marketing firms as a medical writer, and she is a medical records reviewer and consultant. Dr. Newel keeps current on new methodologies and therapeutics, the latest evidence-based medicine practices, and CMEs to maintain mastery in the field. She studies medical law on her own time and is familiar with many aspects, but she is not a practicing lawyer so does not give direct legal advice.