I’ve been an Attending for 3 months now and I have to say…I am proud of Me. I am proud for knowing the exact type of medicine I want to practice and for fighting fiercely to do it. For those who may not know, I am Family Medicine-trained. For most in the field, that means primary care. That means you see women, men, and children. That means you manage a lot of chronic diseases. Before (and especially after) working in a wildly busy federally qualified health care center in the heart of East Harlem, I knew I wanted no parts of complicated primary care, at least not in a traditional sense. I always wanted different.
I was intentional. I was intentional from the beginning about carving my path in women’s health as I did not match into OB/GYN. I dual applied to residency in Family Medicine and OB/GYN. I matched into Family Medicine and I matched in New York, chile. I was determined to make both work. As a med student who did not match right after residency and who had multiple step 1 retakes, I knew I would have to buck up, suck it up, and make it work.
And Did. Before I continue and before the Family Medicine police show up (again) and try to play out their insecurities on my platform, let me say this: women’s health IS a major part of Family Medicine. Also, my opportunity is just that–Mine. I will use it however I see fit and I encourage ALL to do the same. We work TOO hard to complete medical education and training to show up and practice a type of medicine we don’t like; a type we choose just to make others happy and just because tradition says we must. We mustn’t. Choose joy. Choose peace. Choose to serve in a way that will truly benefit and bless your patients. That’s what I’ve done and I’m just so proud. Could I practice more traditional primary care in the future? Perhaps. For right now, I know I made the right choice for me.
New York was so hard on me, but I do not think I would have been prepared for my current job if I had not trained in NYC. My program, for example, is a RHEDI (Reproductive Health Education and Training Institute) program. As a result, I had ample access to abortion training in my own clinic and at Planned Parenthood. I recently had a med school colleague say to me, “Girl, I know you wanted to be in Georgia for residency, but you would NOT have been trained in abortion care here.” She is exactly right.
Especially as a Family Medicine doc, I would not have had access to that training. Even OB/GYN residents in many southern states only get a short abortion rotation where they must leave the state to complete it. I had full access. Full opportunity. I also advocated for women’s health track so I could have plenty experience with birth control procedures, colposcopy, prenatal care, women’s wellness exams, and the like. Y’all, I was PREPARED. I learned updated information from docs I trust. I am forever grateful for my training. Each day, I get to practice abortion care or family planning (birth control counseling, IUD and nexplanon insertion and removal), STI screening, women’s wellness exams, and colposcopy. For anyone who attended residency with me, it’s like being in perpetual procedure clinic lol!! And y’all know how often I was in there! An attending once told me she doesn’t really understand why people go into Family Medicine and then specialize. She said it’s kind of a waste of such a general and broadly reaching training. I disagree. No experience is a waste. I use my non-repro health medical knowledge all the time with family and colleagues who have questions and for my patients with pertinent medical histories that need consideration in my clinic and/or referrals to other clinics. I am in the medical field to serve. And I do believe you provide the best service while doing what you love.
I’m so proud to be a reproductive health doctor especially in the south. The care is so needed here and I’m happy to do it. Generally speaking, there are not tons of reproductive health only job options for Family Medicine-trained docs. Even some OB/GYN offices prefer to hire a physician assistant or nurse practitioner as opposed to a Family Medicine doc to cut costs. That makes me even happier I secured one of these positions. I’m so elated every time I speak to a patient and teach them something new. It’s also reallly nice to see just how much medicine I know. It’s hard to explain, but the constant learning and correction during medical training can make you wonder how much you actually retain. I’ve retained a lot and it really is nice to see how my confidence has grown as a clinician who was once struggling with standardized exams and since passed every single one. Doctor confidence takes a while especially if you are a good doctor who double triple checks your work. It’s nice to see it develop.
I am also grateful I trained in such a busy health care center. I was used to seeing complex patients back to back every 15 – 20 minutes. I became really good at time-management, efficiency, and closing those charts in real time! About two weeks after I started my new job, I was told the clinic schedule was actively increasing. Even with the increase, I felt super comfortable with the pace. Here I am focusing in mostly one aspect of health (reproductive health care) with mostly young and healthy patients. Oh yea, I’m very comfortable with their version of a hefty schedule. I’ve even received compliments on how efficiently I run my clinics. I’ve gotten some really great reviews from patients. One wrote the sweetest message about me! While in the thick of things during residency, it can absolutely seem like so many things are unnecessary or just hard for no reason. I encourage all learners to lean in, especially when it gets hard. Lean in. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had left NYC prematurely. I told God I wanted a specific job when I graduated. He knew I’d have to leave my comfort zone so I could be prepared when I got it. Despite the racism, grit, grime, and rats, I’m glad I stayed the course. I’m glad I stayed in position so I could receive my next blessing and new season.
I’m also really happy I started my new job right after residency graduation. Yes, literally one week later. What can I say? My decisions are unpopular, but they are exactly right for me. I told myself I wanted to be and feel settled by fall. I wanted to be settled in my home, my job, and my new routine. Mission accomplished. After all the moving around from city to city and after 18 years of non-stop grinding, I wanted to feel settled. For me that meant starting my job immediately. Most take months off after residency, but I absolutely felt I’d had a break already. I moved back to ATL in April to finish residency on elective. Chess, not checkers, m’kay?! I had all weekends off during that rotation and really enjoyed what I did. Being home and doing what I love for 12 weeks? That was adequate break for me. I feel like so many ignore potential benefits of starting a job fresh out of residency, but there are many. I did not have not one payment gap in my income. In fact, my first check from my job and my last check from residency overlapped, Amen?! I did not have to do the most to stay afloat financially. I was able to use my designated savings toward purchasing and decorating my home as opposed to depleting accounts to cover me during a break. Now with my Attending funds, I can save up for an even nicer vacay than what I would have been able to take on my residency salary. I also did not have a major gap in my health insurance. I did not have to pay for temporary insurance to carry me through a break. I am healthy, thank God, and I did feel comfortable having just a month in limbo while I was waiting for my attending insurance to kick in. I also really loved getting the orientation and onboarding out of the way. That process is longer at my job than it is at most. I was really glad to have that behind me by fall. There are benefits, y’all. Don’t let anyone scare you out of a decision. Always do what’s right for you!!
For the most part, I’m really happy, y’all. I’m happy I knew what I wanted and happy I actually got it. I worked for it. I earned it. I am still figuring out what to do with my newfound plethora of free time, but I’m enjoying that journey as well. I greatly value discipline and schedules, so I have decided to do the following weekly:
-Read an article in women’s health to keep my chops up. Gotta keep reading even after residency, especially after residency
-Complete an early morning workout at least 4 times a week
-Spend one day a week on a personal project
-Treat myself to a different ATL restaurant once week
-Go on at least two social outings per month
I’m still figuring some things out, but I’m in a really great space. I’m looking forward to growing more in my career and as a clinician. I look forward to making an impact in reproductive health especially in the south. I look forward to taking my first real vacay in YEARS very soon! For 2025, I’m thinking Barbados and Martha’s Vineyard during Pinkwell. All of this is to say residents, know what you want and go after THAT!! If you’re in your final year, I highly recommend starting your job search by January. I started mine intern year of residency (ha!) and continued in August of my final year. I secured my job by February. Most secure by April or May. Also, y’all, negotiate. Get as much as possible in writing. Ask all the questions, get clarity, and have the job of your dreams. More on the job search process here.
As always, live your dreams out loud and on Purpose!
xx,
Photos by Jasmine Smith Photography
So glad that you chose Joy!
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Me too! Thanks for teaching me the importance M!