DR . WHO ?
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT SUSAN COVENTRY , MD
Aaron Burch
Dr . Susan Coventry has practiced anatomic pediatric pathology in the Louisville area for almost 20 years , using her years of study to diagnose brain tumors , neuroblastoma and Wilms tumors in addition to countless other childhood ( and some adult ) illnesses .
In 1999 , good fortune brought her to Louisville and Norton Children ’ s Hospital , then known as Kosair Children ’ s . It is here she has raised two children , Lila and Lucas , with her husband , Brad Asher . Until that move at the turn of the century , they had never visited or called Kentucky home .
The first 25 years of Dr . Coventry ’ s life were spent in Middletown , New Jersey . Her father , Bill Coventry , served as a minister for the Middletown Reformed Church while her mom , Linda , was a civil engineering secretary . The second of four children , and 15 months between an older brother and younger sister , Dr . Coventry grew up with a large but close group of friends .
The Coventry family lived in the church parsonage and their children were always on hand for odd jobs including setting up rooms for worship , folding church bulletins , cutting the grass and more .
“ We were so close in age that there was an assembly of friends who were always around and involved in the church also . So we ’ d play kickball or go to the park . There was a lot of land around so we had room for everything ,” Dr . Coventry said .
She took an early interest in medicine , and was encouraged to become a doctor by her 6 th grade teacher . However , Dr . Coventry also loved language , and she double majored in French and Biology as an undergrad at Johns Hopkins University .
For six weeks in the summer after her junior year , Dr . Coventry had the unique opportunity to study in Avignon , France . “ I remember how beautiful the city was , walking to class through the winding streets ,” she said . “ I stayed with an older woman , a widow . She had owned a restaurant when she was younger and would make the most incredible food each night .”
While there was consideration of pursuing French into graduate school and becoming a professor , medicine was calling Dr . Coventry and she ultimately answered by attending Rutgers New Jersey Medical School .
“ Medical school was intense . College had been hard but I had French , which was more relaxing , to break up the tougher subjects . Medical school was just more volume , at more speed , was more concentrated ,” she said .
Dr . Coventry is quick to admit she ’ s an introvert , one of the reasons that her initial choice of family practice wasn ’ t ideal . “ I liked the variety , but once I started clinical rotations I realized that asking a wide variety of people very personal questions every day wasn ’ t for me . I was getting through the days but I was exhausted .”
At the suggestion of a friend , she gave pathology rotation a try . “ I did a rotation and fell in love with it . I think one of the interests that brought me into medicine was that I was interested in health
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Editor ’ s Note : Welcome to Louisville Medicine ’ s member spotlight section , Dr . Who ? In the interest of simply getting to know each other as a society of colleagues , we ’ ll be highlighting random GLMS physicians on a regular basis . If you would like to recommend any GLMS physician member to the Editorial Board for this section , please e-mail aaron . burch @ glms . org or 736-6338 .
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