![Empowering The Next Generation of Physicians](https://womeninpeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/pexels-porapak-apichodilok-346885-1080x675.jpg)
Empowering The Next Generation of Physicians
I have learned many lessons during my four decades as an independent pediatrician. It has not always been easy, and I hope these tips and my personal story will help you. Becoming a doctor and staying the course takes a special person with a calling. My inspiration came as a young girl in the 1960s after reading the biography of the first woman doctor, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell. There were so many times when I wanted to give up, but with encouragement from my father, along with a few mentors, I was able to stay the course. I will never forget the words of advice given to us by our medical school dean on the first day of school, “Don’t forget to smell the flowers and look for happiness along your journey.” These words, although I did not fully understand them then, have stayed with me throughout my career. During my fourth year of med school, my best friend through undergraduate and medical school turned to me one evening and said, “Let’s go for it.” I was confused at first, but quickly...
![Word of the Year](https://womeninpeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/pexels-pixabay-261579-1-1080x675.jpg)
Word of the Year
I consume a lot of podcast content, listening as I commute to and from work each day. It was the end of 2019, and the hosts of a new podcast were discussing goal setting for 2020. They recommended selecting a single word to help maintain focus on the goals during the year. I thought this sounded great! I wrote down a bunch of words that inspired me. I picked one for my “Word of the Year” for 2020: “Creativity”. I set some goals, and I was ready. Then 2020 happened, COVID happened, my goals were derailed, and my “Word of the Year” no longer resonated with me. Every day became an exercise in surviving uncertainty. I changed my word a few times, finally settling on “Flexibility.” That helped me stay focused on keeping our pediatric office functioning and keeping myself sleeping through the night. Each year since, I have picked a new “Word of the Year.” In 2022, my word was “Curiosity.” It sounded exciting to explore ways to be curious in my life. However, my brain, who is a big fan of...