UP FRONT
ogy and molecular biology and
tumor progression. There were
certain aspects of my work during graduate school that I truly
loved, but, when I was working on
my thesis project, I did not enjoy
the solitary nature of that work.
In the end, I wanted to be part
of a bigger process. So, between
my desire to work in a more collaborative environment and my
changing interests, I decided to
change career paths.
Are there any other people
who have had a big impact
on your career path?
Many, many people have helped
me tremendously in terms of
shaping my career. Once I became
a fellow in hematology/oncology
at the University of Chicago,
my clinical mentor Richard
A. Larson, MD, taught me so
much. He’s very rigorous and
can be very tough and exacting,
but what he taught me about
treating people with leukemia
is invaluable. My laboratory
mentor during fellowship, Carol
Westbrook, MD, PhD, is a very
bright scientist interested in the
basic questions about leukemia
and the early molecular biology of
leukemia. That’s where I began my
work in the clinical translational
aspects of leukemia research.
Everyone I work with is very
kind and helpful to me, and I’m
incredibly grateful for their help
and guidance. I’ve met many
people from across the country
who, again, are truly kindred
spirits. The cooperative setting
has been great, and I’m very
lucky to count them as sounding
boards, collaborators, and
friends.
What has your work life
taught you?
What you realize in medicine is
you can’t do it alone – you need a
team. I have been blessed to work
with a great team and that extends
to my nursing colleagues, data
managers, and our pharmacists.
It makes going to work every day
such a great experience.
Also, I’ve learned that, on
some level, we’re all the same.
As I’ve progressed in my career,
I have been tremendously lucky
to have opportunities to go
abroad to present my work or
ASHClinicalNews.org
participate in clinical research
training and to meet people from
all over the world. What I’ve
learned is that, no matter where
we are from, we are all trying to
solve the same problems – how
to make our patients’ lives better
and how to deal with the sadness
when we can’t.
At the Highlights of ASH
meeting in Singapore a few years
ago, I was sitting at a table with
some female Muslim physicians
from Malaysia. Although we
come from different parts of the
world, we were kindred spirits.
countless, never-ending email
chains to attend to – many of
which we could all live without.
Given your unconventional
route to medicine, is there
any advice you would offer
to younger people just
getting started in their
careers?
It’s trite to say, but the most
important thing is to find your
passion and to pursue it. For me,
I just never felt quite right until
that first day in medical school.
Something clicked. At the same
“No matter where we are
from, we are all trying to
solve the same problems –
how to make our patients’
lives better and how to
deal with the sadness
when we can’t.”
In a given day, what is
your rose and what is your
thorn?
I have many “best” parts of my
day. The “rose” is the patient
success stories: when I can deliver
good news, or when patients five
to 10 years out come in to say
hello, or when I get a letter from
a patient who is thriving. That’s
incredible. I’m still involved in
clinical research and laboratory
translational research, so
getting to collaborate with the
researchers in my lab is still fun
and energizing for me. I consider
myself lucky to be able to witness
their advances.
The difficult part is having to
convey bad news, but it’s not a
“thorn,” it’s really just sad.
The true irritation is the
electronic medical record
system, which has changed
my life, but not for the better.
I spend way too much time
struggling with the records,
the documentation, and the
cumbersomeness of the system.
Then, of course, there are the
time, though, be logical about
that passion – but don’t put it
completely aside. Keep working
at something that you love, and
try to remain passionate about
it. That’s not so easy to do in our
field, where we must deal with
sad outcomes quite frequently,
but it’s essential.
Also, stay open to new
ideas and new opportunities.
Sometimes, incredible things
come up that completely change
the way you think about things,
just through purely serendipitous
coincidences.
Do all these things, but also
try to make time for yourself, if
you can.
Do y