Program:
Start Year:
2024
Why did you choose Duke for your residency training?
Duke has always been home for me — from growing up a Duke fan, to attending Duke for my undergraduate studies, to completing an away rotation in ob/gyn during my fourth-year of medical school. I was incredibly impressed by the warm, supportive, friendly environment that the residents, attendings, nursing staff and APPs created, and I knew I wanted Duke to be my home again!
What excites you about the residency program at Duke Ob/Gyn?
This is a group of hardworking, advocacy-driven physicians who are fiercely committed to providing excellent patient-centered care. I am so excited to learn how to uplift and empower my patients from this fantastic group!
What are your career goals?
Providing high-quality, patient-centered care! I am specifically interested in family planning.
Describe your research interests/goals:
Qualitative research, shared decision-making, patient-centered contraceptive counseling, pediatric and adolescent gynecology
What are your hobbies?
Exploring the Durham food scene with friends, reading a good book, indoor cycle classes that feel like a dance party, and snuggling with my dogs!
Education & Training
Undergraduate school & graduation year:
Duke University, 2014
Medical school & graduation year:
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 2024
Awards & Honors
Gold Humanism Honor Society
Publications
Thornton MJ, Mann ES, Bullington BW, Hartheimer J, Arora KS, Allison BA. Exploring adolescent-facing U.S. clinicians’ perceptions of their contraceptive counseling and use of shared decision-making: a qualitative study. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. Under review
Bullington BW, Mann ES, Thornton MJ, Hartheimer J, Arora KS, Allison BA. Clinician perspectives on adolescent contraceptive counseling following Dobbs v. Jackson: Implications for young people’s contraceptive autonomy. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. Under review
Thornton MJ, Arora KS. Reproductive justice in post-Roe America: Impact of restricted abortion access on patients seeking permanent contraception. Contraception. 2023;121:109995. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2023.109995
Thornton MJ, Arora KS. Requests for Sterilization, Abortion Bans, and Reproductive Justice. The Hastings Center. Web blog post. September 2022
Thornton MJ, Ascha MS, Arora KS. Addressing fluidity in contraceptive decision-making: a key component of patient-centered contraceptive counseling. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2022;227(1):99-100. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2022.02.031
Thornton MJ, Ishoso D, Lokangaka A, et al. Perceptions and experiences of Congolese midwives implementing a low-cost battery-operated heart rate meter during newborn resuscitation. Front Pediatr. 2022;10:943496. doi:10.3389/fped.2022.943496
Silverstein RG, Patnam R, Thornton MJ. Vaginal stone formation around intrauterine device in an ambulatory woman with morbid obesity. J Case Rep Images Obstet Gynecol. 2022;8(2):45-48. doi:10.5348/100133Z08RS2022CI
Iles KA, Thornton MJ, Park J, et al. Bridging Endocrine Therapy for HR+/HER2- Resectable Breast Cancer: Is it Safe? The American Surgeon. 2022;88(3):471-479. doi:10.1177/00031348211047205
Silverstein RG, Fitz V, Thornton MJ, Carter A, Morse JE. Contraceptive use and counseling in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Contraception. 2022;105:46-50. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2021.08.017
Fayanju OM, Ren Y, Stashko I, Power S, Thornton M, Marcom PK, Hyslop T, Hwang ES. Patient‐reported causes of distress predict disparities in time to evaluation and time to treatment after breast cancer diagnosis. Cancer. 2021;127(5):757-768. doi:10.1002/cncr.33310
Thornton MJ, Williamson HV, Westbrook KE, et al. Neoadjuvant Endocrine Therapy Versus Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Node-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2019;26(10):3166-3177. doi:10.1245/s10434-019-07564-9
Fayanju OM, Yenokyan K, Ren Y, Goldstein BA, Stashko I, Power S, Thornton M, Marcom PK, Hwang ES. The effect of treatment on patient‐reported distress after breast cancer diagnosis. Cancer. 2019;125(17):3040-3049. doi:10.1002/cncr.32174
Gunn AH, Bartlett B, Feng G, Gayed M, Kanter K, Onuoha E, Thornton M, Muzyk A, Schramm-Sapyta N. Running the Numbers: County Level Dynamics of Heroin Mortality in North Carolina. North Carolina Medical Journal. 2018;79(3):195-200. doi:10.18043/ncm.79.3.195
Presentations
Thornton MJ, Allison BA. (April 2024). Clinician Perspectives on the Feasibility and Acceptability of Contraceptive Counseling for Adolescents in the Pediatric Emergency Department [Poster presented]. The North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Annual Clinical and Research Meeting; Orlando, FL
Thornton MJ, Cureton BA, McFarlane S, Bryant A. (January 2024). Social Media Gems: Polishing Your Presence to Make Your Clerkship #Sparkle [Oral presentation]. APGO Faculty Development Seminar; Amelia Island, FL
Cureton BA, Thornton MJ, McFarlane S, Bryant A. (January 2024). Empowering OBGYN Medical Student Chiefs: Cultivating Leadership and Addressing Women’s Health Disparities [Oral presentation]. APGO Faculty Development Seminar; Amelia Island, FL
Thornton MJ, Arora KS. (October 2022). Reproductive justice in post-Roe America: Impact of restricted abortion access on patients seeking permanent contraception [Oral presentation]. Society for Bioethics & Humanities Annual Conference; Portland, OR
Iles KA, Thornton MJ, Park J, et al. (May 2022). Bridging Endocrine Therapy for HR+/HER2- Resectable Breast Cancer: Is it Safe? [Poster presented]. Nathan A. Womack Surgical Society Research Day; Chapel Hill, NC.
Thornton MJ, Ishoso D, Lokangaka A, et al. (May 2022). Perceptions and experiences of Congolese midwives implementing a low-cost battery-operated heart rate meter during newborn resuscitation [Oral presentation]. UNC Department of Pediatrics Evening of Scholarship; Chapel Hill, NC.
Thornton MJ, Ishoso D, Lokangaka A, et al. (April 2022). Perceptions and experiences of Congolese midwives implementing a low-cost battery-operated heart rate meter during newborn resuscitation [Poster presented]. Pediatric Academic Society Annual Meeting; Denver, CO.
Iles KA, Thornton MJ, Park J, et al. (August 2021). Bridging Endocrine Therapy for HR+/HER2- Resectable Breast Cancer: Is it Safe? [Oral presentation]. Southeastern Surgical Congress; Atlanta, GA.
Thornton MJ, Williamson HV, Westbrook KE, et al. (October 2019). Neoadjuvant Endocrine Therapy Versus Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Node-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma [Oral presentation]. John B. Graham Medical Student Research Day; Chapel Hill, NC.
Thornton MJ, Williamson HV, Westbrook KE, et al. (May 2019). Neoadjuvant Endocrine Therapy Versus Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Node-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma [Oral presentation]. American Society of Breast Surgeons Annual Meeting; Dallas, TX.
Thornton MJ. (June 2018). Maternal and Reproductive Health Experiences of Francophone Refugee Women Living in Durham, NC [Oral presentation]. North American Refugee Health Conference; Portland, OR.