ASH Clinical News | Page 13

UP FRONT Pulling Back the Curtain Stephanie Lee, MD, MPH We can learn so much more from innovators and mentors in hematology and oncology than clinical expertise. In Pulling Back the Curtain, we speak with hematology/oncology professionals about how they approach their leadership positions and what advice they would give those just getting started in the field. Stephanie Lee, MD, MPH, from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, spoke with ASH Clinical News about making time for what’s important, being open to advice from unexpected places, and her surprising path to higher education. your goal. My mother told me, “You should always be kind.” If you can help, help. Try not to be selfish about your time or your resources. These are core values that I try to bring to my work and my life. Whatever I’m doing – giving a talk or writing a grant or helping someone with their clinical trial – I try to do my best. But, as my mother impressed on me, I also try to realize that what is important in life is often what you can do for other people. Dr. Lee, her husband, Paul, and their two sons, Alex (15) and Max (9). What was your first job? I was a babysitter when I was younger, like everybody probably was. In elementary school, though, I picked blueberries for a summer – that was very good for character building. Later, I worked in a law library and as a phlebotomist when I took a year off between undergraduate and medical school. Phlebotomy showed me an interesting crosssection of medicine; we would go to the hospital and deal with patients in all different circumstances – from babies to surgical patients to outpatients and intensive care unit patients. These experiences solidified my interest in medicine. ASHClinicalNews.org Is there any career you could see yourself in other than hematology? During one of my medical school interviews, someone actually asked me what I would do if I didn’t get into medical school, and I hadn’t even thought of that as a possibility. I was so certain that medicine was for me. It may have sounded arrogant, but I was actually quite flustered when he asked me that question – I hadn’t ever considered that I wouldn’t be able to do what I really wanted to do. I have many interests, so if someone told me I couldn’t be a physician, there are many fields I could see myself in – not necessarily science, either. I actually have a better idea of the careers I definitely wouldn’t want to be in: politics or entertainment. I would not be good at those. Thinking back on your career, is there any piece of advice you received that has stuck with you? I’ve received so much insightful advice from so many different people, but early on, my parents gave me the two most helpful pieces of advice. My father’s motto was, “Always compare yourself with the best.” He meant you should always strive to be the best that you can be. You won’t always make it there, but that should be Is there any advice you would pass on to those just getting started in their careers? The most important thing is to understand yourself and what you are passionate about – each step of the way. Having a longterm goal is important, but you should also be thinking about how you will get there. The career pathway is very long, so you need to make sure that you actually enjoy what you are doing now. It’s important to be able to delay gratification and slog through when you have to, but if you find yourself doing too many things that are not meaningful to you, then maybe you should be looking elsewhere. When you’re in the position of interviewing someone for a position, what questions will you ask to get better insight into the candidate? I like to ask people about their goals, but also about how they would handle potential barriers they might confront when trying to achieve those goals. If someone has a solid idea of where they want to end up, I want to know what obstacles they foresee – either in themselves or in their environment. This helps me figure out if candidates have insight into their own strengths ASH Clinical News 11