Women's History Month

What are you most passionate about in your field? 
Being a family medicine physician has given me the opportunity to work with two aspects that I am passionate about: helping patients prevent diseases and training future family medicine doctors. There is nothing more satisfying for me than seeing my patients adopt changes and take action to improve their health after having a conversation during an office visit. For instance, seeing that your patient has lost ten pounds in two months is gratifying because your counseling encouraged him/her to walk. It is fascinating to see how simple inexpensive interventions can have an enormous impact on the health status of a person and/or the community. Teaching and sharing experiences with residents have been gratifying for me as well. It is rewarding to contribute to their development. The satisfaction of seeing a resident grow professionally from their first year of training until their graduation is immense. Later, seeing them working in their first job, helping in the community, makes me feel like my social mission is getting accomplished.  

Who has inspired you in your drive to advance? 
The person whom most inspires me is my mother. She is a strong woman who has taught me and helped me to overcome adversities and difficult situations and shown me that determination, consistency, and perseverance are the key elements for success.  

Are there unique contributions that being a woman allows you to bring to science or medicine? 
Working in underserved rural communities in the past has strengthened my empathy, sensibility and determination when interacting with my patients and their families. Because I am a female physician, I had the opportunity to provide medical services to indigenous women with different cultural beliefs. These women, with deficient access to health care, would rather deliver their babies alone at home than calling to a male physician. If I was an insensitive female doctor, those women would not have had medical care. The time I spent in that community increased my sensibility and capacity to understand social issues, cultural differences, and the impact on the health of families.  A woman wants to be under the care of a female doctor, most of the time. past experiences have increased my capability to empathize with different cultural groups, especially minorities. Georgia is becoming more diverse and cultural fears are limiting minorities' access to health care. I hope I can help these groups. Furthermore, my passion to teach new physicians allows me to transfer these values to the new generations of physicians. 

Given your career path, what advice would you give to other women? 
As women, we know our path is more difficult in a traditional society. However, this has been changing. It is happening and we are the engine that must continue promoting it. For it is important to raise our voices when it is necessary. Besides, it is important to be perseverant, and have discipline and determination. Women should anticipate that we will encounter people that will tell us “You cannot do I.” That is why we need to be proactive in identifying issues and proposing practical solutions. In order to do this, it is necessary to look for continuous enhancement of your skills and knowledge. 

What are you most passionate about in your field? 
I am most passionate about uncovering the intricacies of molecular biology and the depth of information that has yet to be discovered. This mysteriousness inherent to the field draws me closer and gives me the inspiration to pursue science which answers these questions. I have been in the field since 2009 and initially became interested in seeing protein structures in high resolution in 3D. So, I went to apply for one of the best institutions, the Chinese academy sciences, institute of biophysics. Once I experienced this I wanted to become more involved in the inner workings of the cell so I transitioned to the cell biology field. Since then, I have stayed in the molecular biology field and am still uncovering the answers to questions that are yet to be put into textbooks. Being at the forefront of these scientific questions and the excitement of uncovering the intricate details of the inner workings of the cell, is what I am most passionate about. I hope to continue these investigations by one day having my own lab and running things as a Principle Investigator where my discoveries will be able to contribute to the burgeoning field of science and medicine. 

Who has inspired you in your drive to advance? 
Inspiration for me was originally drawn from my mother who taught me how far hard work and persistence can take me. In a more present tense, I draw inspiration from my current supervisor, Dr. Dorothy Lerit. Before joining the Lerit Lab, I was was unfamiliar with the US, had lost trust in myself to pursue the dream of having my own lab and was hesitant to take a job in the US due to my citizenship. However, Dorothy has served as my inspiration as she gave me a second chance to pursue my dreams and recognize my potential. Dorothy was patient with me and sure enough, I began to recognize my own potential thanks to the help from Dorothy.

Give your career path, what advice would you give to other women? 
I have been thinking about this for a long time, even outside of this interview. I want women to know to never give up on their dreams and to always trust themselves. In my culture, women are supposed to stay home and take care of the family. Although I was heavily drawn to that, given my background, I decided against the cultural norm and went with my gut to pursue a life of science. Now I am as happy as could be and think I would have regretted not pursuing this life. So, I want to be able to tell women that although there is immense pressure for a woman to stay home, have a family, and focus on her children, you can still pursue the things that would make you happy. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential and can be done. Do not let something like a language barrier or immigrant status deter you from what you really want. Put in the effort, never give up, and most importantly trust yourself and you will be successful and happy.

What are you most passionate about in your field? 
There are many aspects of primary care that I am passionate about including growing and training the next generation of primary care clinicians as well as partnering with patients in chronic disease management. I believe you must meet patients where they are to help them achieve their healthcare goals. 

Who has inspired you in your drive to advance? 
My mother is a retired professor of pediatrics and neonatology. She was a real trailblazer in her field at a time when women were rare in academic medicine and has always encouraged me personally and professionally to pursue my career goals. 

Are there unique contributions that being a woman allows you to bring to science or medicine? 
I think women are natural leaders, we know well that communication and collaboration are keys to advancement. We are also skilled multi-taskers, good for a busy primary care clinician. 

Given your career path, what advice would you give to other women? 
Medicine is a wonderful field that allows for lifelong learning throughout the life cycle. Learn how to advocate for yourself and your needs to make the career work for you and remember there are seasons to life; you don’t have to do it all, all at once. 

What are you most passionate about in your field? 
I am passionate about helping others reach their full potential. Whether it’s the high school student who aspires to attend college, the health professions student looking for scholarship opportunities, or a colleague in search of professional development experiences, I feel it is my purpose to assist and support in any way I can. 

Who has inspired you in your drive to advance? 
I am inspired by those who have come before me and those who will come after me. I stand on the shoulders of giants. There have been many great leaders who have paved the way for me to exist and be successful in this field. I’ve been fortunate to have impactful mentors who have guided me along the way of my professional journey. To whom much is given, much is required. Through the collective support of others, I have been afforded many opportunities. I strive to leave a legacy just as impactful for young aspiring leaders, embracing my responsibility as a role model and mentor. 

Given your career path, what advice would you give to other women? 
In everything you do, operate with kindness. Also, embrace challenges as opportunities to grow.  

What are you most passionate about in your field?  
To date, all my clinical work has been working with children with developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder who also engage in serious challenging behaviors (e.g., aggressive and self-injurious behavior). This allows me to work with a very vulnerable population who are often underserved and hidden from public view. The parts of the job I enjoy the most include the problem-solving aspects of my work, it is never boring and always a new problem to solve and making a difference for the children and families I work with and see that my work leads to a better quality of life for the children and families I work with. Ultimately, I am so grateful to have a career where my work is making such a clear difference.   

Who has inspired you in your drive to advance?  
There are many people that have inspired me but at this moment I am learning about Dolly Parton and Julia Childs. Although they are very different women, they were both breaking stereotypical norms for women in their respective fields. I love their passion for their work, their ability to not allow their gender to stop them from achieving their goals and their relentless drive to not let anyone at any time tell them they are irrelevant.   

Are there unique contributions that being a woman allows you to bring to science or medicine?  
My experiences as a woman have certainly shaped my perspective, how I approach the families I work with and my approach with the staff I supervise. Early in my career, all my supervisors were men and I often felt like I was working in a boy’s club where my ideas were minimized and my complaints were amplified (e.g., too outspoken, too emotional, etc.). I have tried hard to take those experiences and make changes to the culture of the programs I supervise. My goal is to create an inclusive culture where differences are seen as strengths and all members of the team are valued equally.    

Given your career path, what advice would you give to other women?  
Keep moving forward and ignore the little voice in your head that says you’re not good enough. Don’t let obstacles get in your way, learn how to move them, or move around them.