Mastering Anatomy & Physiology: The Student's Playbook

This is Moira Offord’s debut textbook, and she is a dedicated advocate for equitable healthcare for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Military Leadership from Old Dominion University before commissioning as a Naval Officer in the United States Navy, where she served for 5 years. During her military service, she worked in damage control and emergency medical response aboard a naval vessel as the ship’s Repair Officer (REPO), Medical Training Team (MTT) member, and Combat Life Saving (CLS) instructor. She continued her pursuit of medical education and earned a Master’s degree in Physiology and Biophysics at Georgetown University. Her capstone research examined postpartum hemorrhaging and its comorbidities, identifying key factors that predispose Black women to increased maternal mortality. Drawing on her
experience as a surgical technologist in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), she explored the pathologies disproportionately affecting Black women.

Moira has taught, mentored, and guided future healthcare professionals at Norfolk State University, Virginia’s largest Historically Black College and University (HBCU), where she worked to address health disparities and expand opportunities in medicine. She
currently teaches anatomy and physiology at Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC), preparing future allied health professionals. Recently, she was awarded the 2025 Learning Environment Award, a student-nominated accolade for cultivating an inclusive,
engaging, and high-impact learning environment for undergraduate studies in anatomy and physiology courses. Moira is committed to carrying forward her lifelong passion for equitable care as a current medical student and aspiring physician at Edward Via College
of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM-Virginia). For her, women’s health is not just an area of interest but a calling: one that fuels her mission to improve the lives of her community members and to advance medical equity worldwide. Her passion for teaching, mentorship, and medical education inspired the creation of this textbook, which aims to make complex scientific concepts engaging, clinically relevant, and accessible to students pursuing careers in healthcare.