We asked a few physicians at DHMC and Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics about why they chose their field of medicine, what inspires them and what advice they have for women entering the field of medicine.
Julie Balaban, MD, FAPA, DFAACAP
Section chief, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Co-director, Psychiatry Outpatient Clinics
What made you choose your area of medicine?
My father was a psychiatrist, so I was raised with an appreciation for the wonders of the human psychological condition. I went to medical school intending to do pediatrics or family practice. But the courses and experiences that most engaged me were in psychiatry, so I realized this was my true calling.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Health?
My husband wanted to come back, and after doing a fellowship here years earlier. I agreed because the opportunity to work in this wonderful, high-quality, academic department—while intimidating—was extremely exciting and full of interesting possibilities.
What keeps you awake at night and gets you going in the morning?
What keeps me awake at night is partly what gets me going in the morning: problem solving. Trying to figure out how I can help meet the overwhelming needs for mental health care with the limited resources we have. I love to work on program development, and there is so much need and opportunity to do more to help people, but we are constrained by the shortage of workforce and funding.
The other thing that gets me going in the morning is how much I love working with my teams in the department.
How do you decompress from the stresses at work and home?
I only expose myself to a minimal amount of news. Skiing in the winter, gardening in the spring, summer and fall, and spending time with my family and three dogs, or watching entertaining television shows.
If you weren’t a physician, what career would have gone into?
I initially wanted to be a writer and then a teacher. Now I think that if I hadn’t become a physician, I might have become a party planner/caterer. But in reality, I probably would have become a therapist.
What advice would you give to those starting a career in medicine?
Make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. The passion and commitment keep it manageable, exciting and engaging even through the tough times. Whatever field you go into, remember that good communication with patients and families can be hard to learn, but will make your care better and your work-life easier and more rewarding.
Frances D. Faro, MD
Orthopaedics
What made you choose your area of medicine?
I wanted to improve my quality of life. Working in foot and ankle orthopaedics, I get people back on their feet (literally) to do the things they love.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Health?
I love working in an academic medical center that is still based in a rural community. I get to work with the best staff, teaching amazing residents to do what I do—bringing compassionate and effective care to people through orthopaedic care.
What keeps you awake at night and gets you going in the morning?
Access to care keeps me awake at night. We are an ailing society with inadequate access to care, and the caregivers are getting burnt out
What gets me going is getting to work with amazing staff and residents, doing innovative and creative musculoskeletal care delivered through a holistic lens.
How do you decompress from the stresses at work and home?
From May to October, I love to row on the Connecticut River in a single scull through the Upper Valley Rowing Foundation. It is the perfect way to begin my morning and center my mind. I also love my garden. When the weather isn’t good, I have my two gorgeous Labrador dogs.
If you weren’t a physician, what career would have gone into?
Architecture—hey wait, that’s what I do with bones!
What advice would you give to those starting a career in medicine?
Love the path—it’s a long one.
Do what you love because you will spend a large portion of your life doing it.
Create healthy boundaries between work and home. When you are at work, be at work. Sit at the table—take on leadership roles. Push your envelope.
When you are at home, leave work at work. Be present with your family and yourself.
Karinne M. Jervis, MD
Medical director, Perioperative Services, Anesthesiology
What made you choose your area of medicine?
During medical school, I was introduced to the field of anesthesia during my trauma rotation. I was intrigued by the diversity of cases in which anesthesiologists participate.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Health?
I was very interested in the Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinks Manchester Ambulatory Surgery Center project due to Dartmouth Health’s expanding perioperative services in the Community Group Practice. The goal to improve access, reduce cost of care and to provide safe and quality care to patient.
What keeps you awake at night and gets you going in the morning?
The future of medicine with regard to the current shortages of physicians and nurses concerns me. What does the future of medical care look like?
How do you decompress from the stresses at work and home?
Spending time with friends and family and getting plenty of sleep, exercise and rest.
If you weren’t a physician, what career would have gone into?
I would probably have been a teacher.
What advice would you give to those starting a career in medicine?
It’s an exciting career path!
Kerrilynn C. Hennessey, MD, FACC
Cardiology
What made you choose your area of medicine?
I chose to be a cardiologist for many reasons, but first and foremost, I love the patients. We treat a broad spectrum of patients, from prevention to intensive care. Cardiology is a field where the lessons you learn about physiology and pharmacology in medical school are applicable to your day-to-day practice. There is a robust toolkit of evidence-based medications and treatments to provide patients, and you can make a real life-saving difference.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Health?
I chose Dartmouth Health because I wanted to work in a rigorous academic medical center, but also, to live close to the outdoor and recreational fitness activities that my family loves. As a New Englander who did most of my medical training in New York City, I am delighted to have the opportunity to practice world-class medicine during the week, then hike, run, ski, kayak, garden, ice skate and snowshoe on my weekends.
What keeps you awake at night and gets you going in the morning?
My patients keep me awake at night; I worry about them the way a parent does their children. I get up with the sunrise and a strong coffee, but I get going on my way to work by listening to medical podcasts or music to prepare myself for the day ahead.
How do you decompress from the stresses at work and home?
I decompress with physical activity and “forest bathing,” so running on trails or snowshoeing are particularly good stress reducers. Once I’m decompressed, I really relax when I get to spend quality time with my husband and our dogs.
If you weren’t a physician, what career would have gone into?
I imagine I would have been a teacher, like my mom, or an engineer, like my sister-in-law. I’ve always tried to emulate strong female mentors.
What advice would you give to those starting a career in medicine?
Make a plan for stress management and self-care the same way you do for studying and patient care, and stick to it. You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself.
Kelly A. Kieffer, MD
General Internal Medicine
What made you choose your area of medicine?
I was drawn to internal medicine by its complexity, the diversity of clinical problems and the problem-solving nature of the work. I considered subspecializing but decided to stay in general internal medicine so I could think holistically about patients and build long-lasting relationships with them.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Health?
I came here as a resident because of the unique opportunity to train in a rural academic medical center. I stayed after residency because of the supportive, collegial clinical and academic environment.
What keeps you awake at night and gets you going in the morning?
Every day I leave work, there is something I could have done more or done better. Most doctors have some degree of perfectionism, and you have to learn not to let the one more phone call you could have made, one more fact you could have researched, and one more email you could have answered keep you awake.
What gets me going is knowing that as a clinical generalist and an educator, I’m going to learn something new every day—even after more than 20 years in practice!
How do you decompress from the stresses at work and home?
I exercise or engage in some type of physical activity almost every day. I learned a long time ago that this is essential for my well-being.
If you weren’t a physician, what career would have gone into?
I am about equal parts clinician and educator. Both are essential to my professional identity. I think I would have found the pathway to teaching in another context if I had not gone into medicine.
What advice would you give to those starting a career in medicine?
Figure out what gives you joy in your medical practice. Make sure your job description includes enough of those joy-promoting things to sustain you and that you regularly reflect on and appreciate those opportunities.
Rabia Saleem, MD
Hematology-Oncology
What made you choose your area of medicine?
Cancer patients are the reason I chose Hematology-Oncology as a specialty. They have taught me so much, they always make me go the extra mile, and their resilience and courage inspire me every day.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Health?
Dartmouth Health allows me to work within a system of a comprehensive cancer center and an Ivy League institution to provide outstanding care and innovative treatments to those in the community.
What keeps you awake at night and gets you going in the morning?
What gets me going in the morning is to be able to make a difference in someone’s life, be a positive influence and knowing that every day I show up, a patient’s day is made better.
How do you decompress from the stresses at work and home?
Music (live music, concerts), nature (hiking, nature walks), working out at the gym and meditation.
If you weren't a physician, what career would have gone into?
I would probably be a musician!
What advice would you give to those starting a career in medicine?
If you are passionate about helping people, you are in the right career. Know and remember why you chose medicine, because that’s what will help you get through when times get tough.
It’s really about the journey and not the destination. Make it worthwhile!
Cynthia C. Taub, MD, MS, MBA
Section chief, Cardiology
What made you choose your area of medicine?
Cardiovascular medicine is one of the most innovative and action-packed subspecialties in medicine. It is the heart of the matter for one’s health and sense of well-being.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Health?
I chose Dartmouth Health for its people-centered culture. It does not hurt that it happens to be in the most beautiful part of the country.
What keeps you awake at night and gets you going in the morning?
Nothing keeps me awake at night. A good night's sleep prepares me well for a day of learning new things and serving others.
How do you decompress from the stresses at work and home?
Hiking and cooking.
If you weren’t a physician, what career would have gone into?
Becoming a master chef who is learning, creating and serving people every day.
What advice would you give to those starting a career in medicine?
(1) Show up open minded. (2) When you feel uncomfortable, it means you are learning and growing; when you feel too comfortable, it is time to do something else.
Ida Leah Gitajn, MD
Section chief, Orthopaedics
What made you choose your area of medicine?
In orthopaedic trauma and fracture care, I have an opportunity to help people in a tangible way. Patients come to me with severe injuries, and I can put them back together and get them back to their regular lives.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Health?
At Dartmouth Health, I have the opportunity to take care of complex trauma, perform federally-funded, multi-center translational and clinical research and live in a great place with a great quality of life.
What keeps you awake at night and gets you going in the morning?
Complex traumatic or reconstructive problems sometimes keep me up at night. Working with an amazing group to provide excellent care is really what gets me going in the morning.
How do you decompress from the stresses at work and home?
Hanging out with the family, hiking, running/trail running, snowboarding and skinning.
If you weren’t a physician, what career would have gone into?
Perhaps engineering or working in a kitchen as a chef.
What advice would you give to those starting a career in medicine?
Keep your head down, keep working hard, and don't let challenges distract you from remembering why you're here.
Emily P. Zeitler, MD, MHS
Cardiology
What made you choose your area of medicine?
First, I was quite mesmerized by the physiology of electrophysiology. Secondly, I am intrigued by all the cool medical devices that we get to use.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Health?
Dartmouth offered me the opportunity to deliver excellent clinical care while also pursuing my interests in cardiovascular outcomes research. The Dartmouth Institute is home to a world-class group of investigators, and I was anxious to work with them to try and answer pressing questions in arrhythmia care.
What keeps you awake at night and gets you going in the morning?
I think a lot about how to perform my procedures in the most efficient and safe way while also being creative. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night to jot down ideas for how to approach a difficult case or research question.
Coffee is what gets me going in the morning—lots of coffee.
How do you decompress from the stresses at work and home?
I like to decompress by watching mindless television. I like cooking shows best; they provide me with a brain escape.
If you weren’t a physician, what career would have gone into?
I think I would have liked being a lawyer. It seems like another job where one has to understand the rules and then solve problems based on those rules.
What advice would you give to those starting a career in medicine?
Keep your mind open to the all the possibilities that go with medical training. Just because there is not someone who looks like you in a particular position or medical specialty field, it doesn't mean you can't do it. You can be someone's role model.