Class of 2009

I am originally from a tiny town in North Central Kansas, Luray, and have moved eastward throughout my training.  I plan to practice somewhere back home.  I really enjoy women’s health and adolescent medicine.  In my spare time, I love just being a Mom, swimming and reading with my children.  I also love cross-stitching, hiking, and horse back riding.  Family medicine is my favorite specialty because I am able to work with patients and families across their lifespan, from the cradle to the rocking chair.

Prior to staring college I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do with my life.  I did not attend college right out of high school.  When I did, I sought a profession that would allow me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people in my community.  My decision to become a physician was solidified when I became an EMT during my junior year in college.  The combination of being able to aid people in a time of need along in an intellectually stimulating career seemed ideal for me.  Initially I decided on general surgery and completed two years of surgical residency in Westchester, New York.  My decision to switch to family medicine was due to a variety of professional and social issues suffice it to say that I am much happier now in family medicine.  I am even more satisfied with the decision to come to University of Kansas Medical Center.  The variety of pathology that only a university medical center can provide has given me the confidence to face any clinical problem I will encounter once I finish.  Also, the extensive amount of elective time in the third year was a significant part of my decision to train at KUMC.  Dr. Vail is extremely supportive of the residents and is always searching for new and inventive ways to improve a program that is already rich with diverse educational opportunities.  My wife and I have enjoyed living in Kansas City as well.  We have been impressed with the ideal combination a cosmopolitan major league city with a strong economic base, at the same time offering an affordable cost of living with a small town feel.  We have been so impressed that we have bought a house in Olathe, KS a suburb of Kansas City and have decided to make our home here.

My path has taken me here to KU's Family Medicine department, but it has not been a direct path, that's for sure! Before medical school, I tried out a number of things: English professor, bookstore manager, marketing assistant, CNA at a nursing home, Hospice volunteer. At the age of 34, I entered medical school in search of a profession that would allow me to take care of people in a meaningful fashion. Family Medicine, of course, was a perfect match for me! Now that I have found my home, my hope is to continue to work wtihin an academic institution, with special interest in Residency education and Geriatrics/Palliative care.

Outside of the medical institution, I spend as much time in nature as possible. I am a gardener, and an animal lover. Our property has recently qualified as a Certified Wildlife Habitat, and I spend as much time as residency allows working in my yard, caring for the plants and animals who call my yard home.