Did you know that more than one in 10 of our classmates work in some aspect of healthcare? Brian Spence practices at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, where he is an anesthesiologist and elected physician trustee of DHMC.“It has been a real privilege to help steer a $2 billion-a-year healthcare system through a very tumultuous and disruptive period. It astounds me that as the richest nation in the world we still fail to provide quality healthcare to all. It is the national enigma that our generation will need to solve if we are to remain the democratic and humanitarian society we claim to be. There are personal and emotional costs associated with the medical profession; however, I have never regretted my decision to enter the practice of medicine. The clinical care of patients is a joy and a privilege for me that cannot be easily erased by legislation, bureaucracy or technology. The healthcare provider-patient relationship is the fundamental core of healthcare, and it is that relationship that keeps me engaged and what I find most fulfilling in my daily practice.”

Becky Liddicoat Yamarik, internist and palliative care physician,writes: “I’m currently working at the Long Beach Veterans Hospital as a hospitalist and clinical ethicist. I’m also involved in a randomized controlled trial looking at telephonic vs. in-person palliative care for patients in the last one to two years of life. These patients need a lot of support and assistance as they enter this final phase of life, so it’s wonderful to be able to try to improve their lives. Medicine has been a wonderful career for me. I majored in history and was very ambivalent about whether med school was the right fit. Luckily, working in palliative care, I use a lot of the communication skills and interest in people and their lives that I loved from studying history. The human interaction with patients is very rewarding, as is the ability to constantly try new things and new ways of delivering care. I have worked in home hospice, in hospitals and training nurses to assist patients over the phone. It continues to be an intellectually stimulating and rewarding profession. I particularly love working with medical students and residents. Their youth, altruism and enthusiasm keeps me invigorated and positive.” 

Matt Riley, a pediatric gastroenterologist in Portland, Oregon, reflects: “The things I enjoy most about my vocation are assisting children and families through some of the most challenging times they may ever face, as well as the opportunity to constantly learn about my field and myself in the process. Medicine is a field where some of the most basic American values play out on a daily basis. Many of us want quick, external solutions to relatively small sufferings. Simultaneously, we expect the most vulnerable of us to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, even if their shoes are worn and lack laces.”

Finally, Michael Kang writes from Manhattan,where he is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement affiliated with NYU-Langone Medical Center. He is married to Gina and has two children, Griffyn (16) and Sydney (14).Michael’s take “Healthcare is at a crossroads. In terms of orthopedics, we are going down the road of medical advancements that must be cost responsible. Due to increased costs, we will have to change our healthcare model. It may become a more socialized model. In terms of my career, I am in a clinical practice with responsibilities to a fellowship. A busy clinical practice while also teaching doctors in training has made my professional career fulfilling.”

Keep your news coming!

—Kaja (Schuppert) Fickes, 2 Bishops Lane, Hingham, MA 02043; kaja.k.fickes.95@dartmouth.edu