Where did you grow up?
My parents were both military so I grew up mostly moving between Northern Virginia and several countries overseas, including Germany, Korea, and Egypt. My family is originally from Mississippi and I often spent time there while my parents were deployed.
Why did you choose a career in medicine?
I initially did not plan on going into medicine. While I was living in Egypt in high school, I had the opportunity to see how medical care was provided to people with limited resources and that at times even lived in desert areas and I was amazed by the passion the physicians and interdisciplinary team provided to people in need. That was the spark that motivated me towards providing care for the underserved. I spent my education and training on finding the best ways to support people in need from a healthcare lens whether that be from direct patient care, to population management, to health policy.
What is your favorite part about being a physician and why?
I love working in teams to find the best way to serve people that need and deserve excellent care. Whether its through directly caring for patients or through finding ways that a system can improve the care it provides to a population, it is incredibly fulfilling to know you are contributing to more support and access to patients in need.
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you?
Don’t sweat the small stuff. My mother used to always point out that the daily annoyances or concerns that seem like large deterrents or obstacles in our lives are often not found to be big issues and in the long span of life, each issue we face doesn’t usually end up being more than a small blip in the timeline of our lives. So count your blessings and don’t sweat the small stuff.
What advice would you give to new MSV members?
Be advocates for patients and for the care of those most at risk in our healthcare system. Give back to students and future colleagues in our fields. And try as often as you can to support and take up another’s cause as your own when it is something you share passion for.
If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be and why?
I think I would interview Quincy Jones. I love music and played the trumpet for years but more importantly, I believe his wisdom in navigating the world during changes and across cultures and directly learning about how he saw and navigated the world would be incredibly interesting.
You are happiest when?
I am happiest when I am with family. I love my large and extended family and friends. They motivate me and remind me the prioritize the right things in life as we all deal with a rapidly and sometimes radically changing world.