Rachel N Fielding, MD

A global perspective on local women’s health

For Rachel Fielding, MD, caring for women means more than delivering babies or performing medical procedures — it’s about seeing the bigger picture. From leading breast cancer screening initiatives in Central Virginia to teaching maternal health on a global stage, Fielding has built a career that blends patient-centered care with passion for teaching and a commitment to underserved communities both locally and worldwide.

A board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, Fielding joined the VCU Health Women’s Health team after serving as a partner physician at Virginia Women’s Center since 2017. There, she was the lead for women with high-risk breast health and implemented a universal screening program for hereditary cancer syndromes. She has a special interest in laparoscopic and vaginal hysterectomies.

As a professor at the VCU School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology (where she has served as an affiliate professor since 2020), she lectures medical students, supervises residents, and participates in discussions on global health ACCESS program. She is excited to be part of the team with the goal of being deeply involved in teaching and mentorship, while still taking great care of patients.

Global health has been a defining thread in her career. Fielding has provided care and taught in Cambodia, Zambia, Honduras, Tanzania, India, South Africa and Costa Rica She has led cervical cancer screenings, supervised students and midwives on labor and delivery, taught surgical techniques, lectured and mentored young physicians in resource-limited hospitals.

Fielding was a Robertson Scholar at Duke University, one of only 20 “change makers” to earn a full-tuition scholarship. She earned her medical degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine and completed her OB/GYN residency at UNC, where she received the Golden Tar Heel Resident Teaching Award for exemplary teaching of medical students and was awarded scholarships for her international work.

But even with those honors, she says, “My favorite recognitions are cards I get from past students and baby announcements from patients.”

Fielding has a 4-year-old son, a greyhound dog and a cat. She enjoys time with friends and family, walking and hiking, swimming laps, vegetarian and vegan cooking, historical fiction, yoga, art and dance.

Advice to patients: “Ask questions until you understand and work with your provider until you reach a treatment plan that suits your needs.”