DR. WHO In-Training Abby Gellert, MD
What is your hometown?
My hometown is Easthampton, Massachusetts. I’ m often asked how I ended up in Kentucky since I am from New England. My mom is from Woodford County, and both of my parents attended the University of Kentucky which is where I obtained my undergraduate degree. I moved to Kentucky after high school graduation to attend UK and have lived in Kentucky since!
Where did you attend medical school?
I attended medical school at the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine?
I knew from a young age that I wanted to pursue a career that challenged me while also allowing me to make a difference in the lives of those around me. Science always challenged me in school, and the field of medicine provided an opportunity for me to use a subject that piqued my interest to help others. The field of medicine is ever changing, and I am passionate about being a lifelong learner to help advance medicine and have better outcomes for our patients.
What made you want to come to Louisville for residency?
I participated in the couples’ match with my husband, who was one of my classmates and is now an emergency medicine physician. We fell in love with the outstanding training programs for our respective specialties and felt lucky to stay for the next steps in our training. Louisville became our home during medical school, and we were excited to stay local.
38 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE by Kathryn Vance
What made you choose Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine?
I’ m clearly biased, but Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine is the best for so many reasons. I enjoyed learning about embryology during my pre-clinical years in medical school, and the pathophysiology behind the disease processes in the NICU is challenging, complex and requires critical thinking every shift. Every day and every patient is different. I have always loved procedures, and there are ample opportunities to perform procedures in the NICU. The population of patients we serve is also uniquely vulnerable, it is incredibly rewarding to be able to stabilize a critically ill infant who likely wouldn’ t have survived without intervention, and to make a meaningful difference through patient care.
What has surprised you the most / what has been the most unexpected challenge during training?
I think what has surprised me most about medical training is the relationships that I have been able to form during all stages of training. The most surprising was probably meeting my future husband on the second day of medical school( although it took us a whole year to start dating). My medical school classmates, co-residents and co-fellows have become more than colleagues: they now are some of my closest friends and I couldn’ t imagine life without them. I have also been fortunate to have developed strong mentorships with my attendings both in residency and fellowship, which has been so impactful to my career so far.