Louisville Medicine Volume 70, Issue 4 | Page 34

DR . WHO
three different office settings so what I didn ’ t want to do was join the first practice that offered a job to me . That ’ s when the opportunity to be a hospitalist came open .”
In 2016 , she found a company that had contracts in Houston as well as at Norton Women ’ s and Children ’ s and Downtown . Several days per month , she would fly to Houston for shifts while getting things solidified in Louisville . A short time later , she was offered a full-time position in Louisville and the back-and-forth flights were finished . She continued as a hospitalist for one year until she accepted her current position with Norton Healthcare in 2019 .
( continued from page 31 ) to open her own practice . With a lot of grit and determination , she opened the doors in 2010 and ran it as a solo practitioner for two years before welcoming a partner . One year later , another practice in town asked her to buy in with them . “ I got to buy in for $ 1 . Of course , I came with all my equipment , ultrasounds , full patient load .”
For three years , she continued to grow the practice and her skills when ultimately , they decided to move back to Louisville for James ’ job as a school administrator and teacher , saying “ For me , family has always been more important than the job .”
After they made the commitment to move , Dr . Barnsfather was cautious about where her next job would be . “ I had already been in
With office work , Dr . Barnsfather says it ’ s energizing and fresh every single day . She is also able to apply her love of teaching at the same time . “ It ’ s making people be excited about what ’ s going on with them and understanding what ’ s going on with them that makes me happy . It ’ s the fact that I get one-on-one interaction . I keep going until they understand what ’ s happening ,” She also enjoys teaching in the OR . “ The patient ’ s awake , we ’ re telling jokes . I try to create an environment that makes people comfortable and allows us to have a conversation . At the same time , when it ’ s time for me to be serious and make sure we ’ re getting things done , I can flip that switch .”
The part of her job that brings her the most joy , though , is delivering babies . “ I love to be the calming presence and to help guide them through it . When they ’ re stressed , worried , in pain , I can make
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