When I graduated, I was about $210,000 in debt. I applied for the National Health Service Corps, and I’ve been in that program for three years. leave the clinic. I definitely felt he was a danger to himself, so I had to coordinate care with our behavioral health person. What do you like most about your job? Dr. Beaumont: I like the flexibility. Family medicine docs are trained to do a little bit of everything. What I heard when I was looking for a position was that, because of where they end up practicing, most family medicine docs end up doing just peds or just adult medicine. I didn’t want to do that; I wanted to practice full scope of comprehensive family medicine to the best of my abilities. In my job, I can do that. I do obstetrical care, pediatric care, and adult medicine. I round at the hospital. I teach residents and medical students. Do you like the teaching aspect of your work? Dr. Beaumont: I love the academic environment, and I think it’s really important to stay up-to-date with current research. Is your schedule manageable? Dr. Beaumont: It is now. I used to
52 Journal for Minority Medical Students
be gone 12 to 14 hours a day, but as an attending, my quality of life is awesome and I can tailor my schedule to work a little more or a little less. I’m able to take my daughter to school in the morning and I’m able to pick her up some days. I’m definitely home in the evening when my kids are home from school. Also, all of my charts are electronic, so I can do charting from home. I don’t have to stay at the clinic to do charting after I’m done seeing patients. A lot of docs don’t have this luxury, so I feel very fortunate. How are you dealing with your debt? Dr. Beaumont: When I graduated, I was about $210,000 in debt. I applied for the National Health Service Corps, and I’ve been in that program for three years. It’s been an awesome opportunity and I plan to stay with the program as long as I can. What are the requirements for the NHSC? Dr. Beaumont: You have to work full time (40 hours/week) and serve in a priority health professional shortage area. What would you like to be doing 10 years from now?
Dr. Beaumont: I definitely plan on
continuing to do outpatient work seeing different generations of patients, and doing obstetrical care. Though I probably would want to do less clinical time and spend more time teaching residents and medical students. I’m also developing a passion to work with adolescent men. I find that particularly in the area where I work, they don’t have the skills they need when they graduate high school or when they drop out. They don’t get a GED, they don’t have a particular trade, and then they don’t work, so it creates this cycle of absentee fathers. I’d like to develop a young man’s clinic or something where I can reach out to the young men in our community to provide services to them beyond medical.
What one piece of advice do you have for med students considering their careers in medicine? Dr. Beaumont: I would say explore all options and keep an open mind. Once you find the specialty you could see yourself doing for the rest of your life, go for it.