Dr. Renee P. McGraw is an Associate Professor for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). She completed her medical degree at UAMS in 2002, graduating with honors in research. She then completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at UAMS, finishing in 2006. During residency, Dr. McGraw was awarded the Willis Brown Resident Research Award (2006), as well as Excellence in Teaching Awards each year. Dr. McGraw spent 11 years in private practice and was thrilled to have the opportunity to return to the institution where she trained! She continues to provide clinical obstetric and gynecologic care for her patients as she did in private practice, but now also has the privilege to help supervise and teach medical students and physicians in training.
Since her arrival at UAMS, Dr. McGraw has been honored to serve on a number of committees including the Baby Friendly Task Force, which aided in achieving a “Baby-Friendly Designation” for UAMS from Baby-Friendly USA, a credentialing program for hospitals which is part of an international initiative by the World Health Organization and UN Children’s Fund, thus highlighting both her and UAMS’ commitment to ensuring that all mothers and newborns receive the best support for breastfeeding success.
Dr. McGraw also serves on the Centering Pregnancy Steering Committee, which has helped oversee the development and initiation of a comprehensive group prenatal care program called Centering Pregnancy. Though Centering Pregnancy has been the standard for prenatal care for almost 20 years across the United States, it is a novel approach to prenatal care in the state of Arkansas. The Centering Pregnancy program holds promise for both improved maternal and neonatal outcomes for Arkansas’ families.
Dr. McGraw is a native of Russellville, Arkansas. She is a member of the Arkansas Medical Society and the Central Arkansas Medical Society. She is a Fellow of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), and served as an Arkansas Delegate to the ACOG Congressional Leadership Conference in Washington DC (2019), advocating for women’s health for the state of Arkansas. She considers herself an educator at heart and makes every effort to ensure her patients are involved in and understand diagnoses and all available options for their care. She truly enjoys the personal connections she has with her patients and is committed to providing the best care possible for them, treating each with respect and compassion.
When she is not caring for her patients at UAMS, Dr. McGraw enjoys spending her free time with her husband Gavin and daughters, Emma and Ava Claire.