2020 RICHARD SPEAR, MD, MEMORIAL ESSAY CONTEST
IN-TRAINING/STUDENT CATEGORY WINNER
MAIN STREET
Joseph Snider, MD
There are no air-conditioned tractors
or white board fences on the
farm where I grew up in rural Kentucky.
We raised cattle, corn, soybeans
and lost money on my small
herd of sheep most years. With my
roots firmly in agriculture, people
ask what motivated me to choose
medicine. My inspiration comes from the little town and the people
who molded and encouraged me. The farm laborers that sweated
beside me in the hay field motivated me with their hard work. The
community that celebrated and mourned together inspired me to
a life of service.
The picturesque main street of my hometown is a reminder
of much of what has influenced my life. Smiling faces still wave
and call out a greeting. The National FFA Organization still learns
everything there is to know about the dairy cow. The old buildings
that line the street still echo the same school song that generations
of marching bands have played. The discipline, compassion and
sense of community now echo through me.
A small medical clinic sits next door to the church on Main. There
were many Sundays when I witnessed the local doctor unlock the
back door to treat a sick child or elderly patient. He put the cast on
my arm when my very first attempt at roller skating ended badly. The
doctor worked long hours but still managed to be actively involved
in local events. While it was the diversity of his work that interested
me, it was his love of community that inspired me.
Ordinary people living regular lives with extraordinary compassion,
faith, generosity and joy are the inspiration that I want to
model for my life and career as a physician. Inspiration is everywhere,
but a mediocre sheep farmer was lucky to find a lifetime
supply on Main Street.
Dr. Snider is a first-year resident physician with the University of Louisville Department
of Family Medicine.
JULY 2020 5