INFLUENCERS IN MEDICINE
More Than a Pediatrician
I
am constantly asked why I chose to pursue medicine . Friends , new and old , wonder why I decided to go back to school for four more years . Aunts , uncles and cousins are always curious as to which type of specialty I wish to seek . I have had countless conversations with my parents about where I see myself in the future . Honestly , my answers change a lot — I find myself becoming intrigued by different avenues in medicine , and the more I progress through my education , the more I encounter new and rediscover old inspirations . But , regardless of how my interests and ideas evolve , I always find myself aspiring to resemble a role model I have known for most of my life .
Growing up I think I was one of the few kids that enjoyed going to the pediatrician . Even though I was not the best-behaved patient when it came to strep swabs or annual vaccinations , I still loved visiting my pediatrician ’ s office . In fact , I voluntarily tagged along with my mom when one of my younger brothers had an appointment . Why ? Because I would never turn down an opportunity to say hi to
12 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE by ANDREW WILLETT , MS3
the woman I thought was one of the coolest , sweetest , most generous people around — Dr . P . As a pediatric patient , the reason why I loved my doctor so much was quite simple . Whether I was sick or well , she effortlessly put a smile on my face . She was funny . She was easy to talk to . She listened . She made me feel at home no matter what .
Over time , my admiration and appreciation for Dr . P blossomed . She was more than a comforting and devoted doctor — her genuine investment in the well-being of my family was truly profound . I am the oldest of four boys , two of them were diagnosed with autism . Although every stage of their lives has come with different blessings and challenges , I was particularly impacted by the hardships they faced during their teenage years . Unfortunately , I can list countless experiences with both adults and kids in our community that were quite distasteful in how they acted towards my brothers . Despite these senseless occurrences , despite all the ups and downs in their daily lives , Dr . P was always their anchor . She was a calming , informed and active advocate for my brothers at every stage of their childhood . Whether it was medication management or figuring out how occupational therapy and speech therapy could best help my brothers , Dr . P was there to guide my parents every step of the