Writing a book is like giving birth again. How did this even happen? Where did I find the time? I thought I’d write a little e-book on finding your place in medicine. Then, I stumbled upon a book coach in a physician Facebook group. My coach is a neonatologist, preventive medicine specialist, and social entrepreneur who is making the world a better place through the cultivation of first-time authors. And as a coach, she delivered. She told me where I needed to add a story here, or clarify something there. That’s when Save Lives, Enjoy Your Own started to look like a real book in the making.

Who it’s for

This book is for those in medical school, who are staring down one of the biggest decisions of their life– choosing a medical specialty. That’s why I focused on medical students as I wrote and edited (and edited… and edited) this book. Yet I also wrote the book as a person who found herself at a fork in the road mid-way through residency. I had to decide whether I’d be a diagnostic radiologist, or dive into the ultra-male-dominated, adrenaline-soaked field of interventional radiology. That’s why I understand that some residents may need the book when they’re in the midst of their training. And still others may find the book as a pre-medical student or non-traditional post-baccalaureate student. There is value in the book at each of these stages.

Many women entering medicine will identify with the messages in the text. As they begin to encounter some of the more traditional and even outdated ideas about gender in medicine, I hope this book helps to light the way. Others who want to learn more about what their female colleagues face as they become physicians may read the book as he-for-she advocates. Finally, students and trainees who identify as underrepresented minorities may find guidance and comfort in the pages of Save Lives, Enjoy Your Own. For aspiring and training doctors finding where you belong in the medical field, I’ll show you how it’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

We are a month out from book launch in October. In order to tease some of the contents of the book, here are the foreword and mini-bios of the amazing physicians who contributed.

Foreword

Sometimes the phone rings just after the first precious hour of sleep. The trauma surgeons need my help. When I rush into the hospital for an actively bleeding patient, I might not return home until dawn, but as I work, I’m in the zone. This work is a part of me. Being able to save a life is worth it every time. And I want you to find the kind of work that engages and fulfills you, too. 

But how do you find the right field of medicine, in which you can harness your unique talents and skills? How do you find your calling while drinking from a fire hose? I’ll address these important questions, with the help of some colleagues in various medical specialties.

What’s keeping some women from saving lives?

Unfortunately, the male-dominated atmosphere, outdated ideas about what constitutes women’s work, and concerns about work-life balance can discourage some women from surgically-oriented fields like my own. If your desired field is a boy’s club, how do you figure out if you truly belong there? How do you navigate a sometimes foreign environment and succeed, despite the lack of female representation there?

If you dream of transforming from an uncertain student or trainee into one who confidently pursues her career path, you’re in the right place. From the decision to work with your hands, to finding the right balance and learning to lead, this book will light the way. I’m so excited for you to join me as a physician who saves lives and enjoys her own!

Contributors for Save Lives, Enjoy Your Own

I would like to thank the women who contributed to this book. It’s a privilege to call them my friends and colleagues. They know it’s possible to save lives and still enjoy your own. The following are abridged biographies, which highlight some of their many accomplishments.

Theresa Caridi, MD, FSIR 

is an interventional radiologist who was named a Washingtonian Top Doctor in 2018 during her time at the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. At the time of this writing, she is transitioning to her new roles as an Associate Professor of IR, IR Division Director, and Vice-Chair of Interventional Affairs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Hannah Clode 

is a third-year medical student pursuing an MD/MBA degree at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She aspires to be efficient, autonomous, and joyful throughout her career. Her specialty choice is yet to be determined, and she plans to take a year off to consider her options, which include IR, surgery, family medicine, and OB/GYN.

Laura Findeiss, MD, FSIR, FAHA

is a Past President of the Society of Interventional Radiology. She is a Professor of Radiology & Surgery at the Emory University School of Medicine and the Chief of Service for Radiology at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. She’s passionate about leading patient-centered change in healthcare and is an avid cyclist, skier, and snowboarder.

Anna Gasparyan, MD 

is a board-certified vascular surgeon in private practice in Southern California. She specializes in endovascular & vascular surgery including the treatment of venous disease. In her free time, she enjoys quality time with her son, Bikram yoga classes, and long-distance running.

Anne “Annie” Gill, MD

is an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Interventional Radiology at the Emory University School of Medicine. She is a leader within the Women in IR Section of the Society of Interventional Radiology, in which she works to increase the gender diversity of selected speakers at national meetings.

Lara Hasan, MD

is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist in private practice in Southern California. She’s a world-traveler, outdoor adventurer, burgeoning cook, and trivia geek.

Aneesa Majid, MD, MBA, FSIR

is an interventional radiologist who has spent the majority of her career in private practice. She continues to find her balance with the help of entrepreneurial endeavors since completing her MBA at the Kellogg School of Management. A leader within the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), she led the development of the first Women in IR Champion Award.

Natosha Monfore, DO

is an early career IR in private practice. She is a passionate advocate for mentorship, with countless projects completed with the Residents, Fellows, & Students (RFS) Section of the SIR. As a leader within the Women in IR Section and as a SIR delegate for the Young Physicians Section of the American Medical Association (AMA), she continues to lead into early attendinghood.

Lola Oladini, MD, MBA

is a rising PGY-3 IR/DR resident at Stanford Hospitals and Clinics. She aspires to be compassionate, creative, and relentless in the pursuit of leaving her community a better place than how she met it. She likes improv and baking cookies.

Arghavan Salles, MD, PhD

is an academic bariatric surgeon. A former Scholar in Residence at the Stanford University School of Medicine, her research focuses on gender equity, well-being, and the challenges women face in the workplace. She is an internationally recognized speaker and an activist against sexual harassment.

Nancy Yen Shipley, MD 

is an orthopaedic surgeon in private practice. She is also a mother, half of a dual-physician couple, a writer, a speaker, and a podcaster (The 6% with NancyMD). Through these roles and her online content, she helps open doors for those that wish to be more and do more in their own lives.

Agnieszka Solberg, MD

is a practicing Vascular & Interventional Radiologist who is board-certified in Internal Medicine (ABIM), Nuclear Medicine (ABNM), and Radiology (ABR). She is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of North Dakota. A passionate advocate of women in radiology and informatics, she founded the Facebook community Radiology Chicks.

These women prove it’s possible to save lives and still enjoy your own. I’m inspired by them, and I know you will be too. They’ve found their respective place in medicine. From academics to private practice and beyond, they represent several different subspecialties. They share their experiences and career lessons to help you see that there are many ways to be a woman in medicine.

You can still purchase a signed special edition of the book by clicking right here.