Talking to Dr. Jacqueline Walters, I can certainly understand why she is such a vital component of Married to Medicine. She is a cool, articulate, affable, and even humorous person. She seamlessly merges Southern charm with acerbic candor. In Season 12, she is even more open, stretched, and fashionable.
I had a chance to speak to Dr. Jackie before the new season, and she dished about advice, fashion, friendships, and friendship dramas, coupled with a dash of her finesse.
‘Bravos’ Married to Medicine is back Sunday, Nov. 30, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo; episodes air the day after on Peacock. Based on our conversation, this season is going to be raw, dynamic, and quite personal.
Let’s get started.
What to Expect From Dr. Jackie in Season 12: Grounded, Confident, and Real
When I say hello to her, Dr. Jackie smiles and asks, “How are you, Kori?” That’s a Dr. Jackie thing; she pays attention to people.
I tell her, “You’re a legend on the show.” She laughs modestly, but there’s enthusiasm behind her smile. “I think this year is going to be better than all the others,” she says. “Every year we get better and better because of new stories.”
She’s not lying. Season 12 is where favorites return, new friends arrive, and even greater discoveries take place.
Getting to Know the New Girls and Bonding with Toya
I ask who she’s grown closer to this season, and Dr. Jackie surprises me.
“This year, I had a really close working relationship with Toya,” she continues.
But she really connected with Angel Love Davis, a new artist. “She’s from New Orleans, I’m from Mississippi. We’re basically neighbors,” she tells me. “And she’s got a scrub line, I have a scrub line. Who better to learn from than someone who’s done it?”
It is where Dr. Jackie excels, creating connections, finding common ground, and making differences bond.
Underneath the Suit: Scrubs from Dr. Jackie’s Line
Now, let’s discuss style. Dr. Jackie looked like a white glam angel.
I was curious about her line, DUES, that marries high-fashion sensibilities with functionality.
“We wanted a scrub line you can wear to the clinic, then add heels and go to cocktails,” she tells me.
“I call my personal style ‘traditional chic.’ It’s classic, nothing too fashionable, and always elegant,” she continues. She wants to expose a hint of her shoulder, but is also aware of being a mature woman.
Her own development: “I just used to turn collars up from T-shirts and belt them to the side. I just always loved fashion, but I don’t want to match everything.”
“DUES is, to my mind, the grown-up version of that twinkly side of you—that sleek, smart.
How She Handles a Career in Medicine, Television, and Health
I ask if handling scrub sets, surgeries, reality shows, marriage, and business, along with friends, is stressful.
She corrects me gently:
“I don’t call it stress. I call it stretched.”
“A rubber band stretches, then springs forward. That’s how my days go. I start my day off right with quiet time, affirmations, and podcasts that keep me centered.”
Given that her line of work involves accepting others’ emotions, balance is absolutely necessary.
“You’re like a sponge. People pour everything into you—good, bad, heavy. You need balance.”
Handling this Cast: Triggers, Personalities, and Peace
I asked her how a person can maintain her peace and tranquility amid strong personalities. She responds as if sharing the expertise of a behavioral scientist.
“I understand each woman’s personality type and triggers,” the woman adds. “I was afraid to be open, but now I communicate quite openly among them.”
She talks about whom she can calm.
“With Heavenly, the worst thing that I can do is to attempt to calm her down in the group. I pull her aside and say, ‘Listen… Simone, I can calm her right there.’
She is like a therapist, a mediator, and a big sister.
And now the others know her triggers as well.
“Sometimes they push buttons on purpose. You have to know when to react and when to withhold reaction.”*
Supporting Quad through IVF: A Friendship Based on Empathy and Expertise
Furthermore, Quad is undergoing IVF, and the storyline is tied to Dr. Jackie’s presence.
“It’s certainly not been easy for Quad or for me,” she reveals. “I feel as if I am reliving my own experience.”
However, she knows that she is the right person to assist.
“Who better to lead her through this process of fertility than me? It’s me, her doctor, her friend, a woman who’s done this myself.”
Her advice for viewers:
“Find a doctor you trust. Someone who makes you feel seen, heard, and valued. Someone you can talk to like a friend.”
On Reviews, Criticism, and Staying Grounded
Doctor Jackie is not disturbed by social media.
“I don’t get upset,” she adds. “Everybody’s got a different opinion. You’d struggle to get to day two if you walked a day in my shoes.”
Disrespect is where she draws the line, but she is open to constructive criticism.
“I use the negative comments to get better.”
She praises her entourage for keeping her down-to-earth.
“I may feel, walking from the operating room, that I have just saved a life. But my girlfriends say, ‘Sit down.’ That’s why I keep honest people around me.”
Season 12: More Men, More Realness, More Growth
Before finishing, Dr. Jackie offers a preview of what fans can enjoy.
“You’ll see the men more than ever,” she says. “We might be the ones in the chairs behind them this season.”
She thinks the audience will have a better experience with relationships and family.
“It’s real. It’s messy. It’s about balance. And sometimes we don’t want to hear what they say,” she laughs.
Dr. Jackie’s Counsel for Would-Be Physicians & Stars
To medical students and to young women everywhere, “You have to go to school. There’s no shortcut,” she continues. “But you also need a mentor. If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.”
Watch my full interview with Dr. Jackie below.
