Wherever I work, I plan to use those lifestyle principles that are so integral to the practice of preventive care. I’d love to move into public health and hope to pursue a Masters of Public Health (MPH) after I graduate from residency. The field of family medicine is ever expanding and changing so I’m sure whatever path I end up on will be dramatically different from whatever hypothetical I envision. I’m excited to see where this career takes me. Hope for the Future of Healthcare In the next 20 years, I hope we see improved access to care for everyone. The data shows that patients have better outcomes when they are cared for by a doctor like them, so I hope we continue to embrace the diversity that makes family medicine so unique. People from different socioeconomic, racial, gender and geographic backgrounds bring valuable perspectives and ideas that help expand access to care for marginalized groups. Even as a resident, I have seen how people suffer when their voices aren’t valued, and I want to be a part of promoting that positive culture of inclusivity that drew me to family medicine in the first place. Advice for Your Younger Self It will be okay. It feels trite to say it but is probably the phrase I rely on most heavily. In medical training, so many things feel out of your control: who your attendings are, where you match for residency, the kinds of patients you get and the frustratingly few hours in a day. Regardless of the outcome, you will learn and improve, and it will be okay. At the same time, the things that become your responsibility as a newlyfledged doctor are overwhelming and, frankly, terrifying. You will do the right thing some days and the wrong thing other days and it will still be okay. The world keeps turning and we take each day as a chance to grow. 21 |
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