When did you know you wanted to become a doctor/pediatrician?

“I’ll be honest. I’m the only doctor and indeed health professional in my immediate family (other than husband). I don’t really think I knew what I was getting myself into. The true story is that when I was at Harvard Medical School at the beginning of third year clerkships (I chose to do surgery first), I was shocked to find out that medical students and doctors had to sleep in the hospital! That day when I was handed my student pager, was the beginning of a decade really of q3-4 call. I don’t think my parents truly realized when they encouraged me to be a doctor what that really meant. I was good in math and sciences, and I wanted to do something to help the world and medicine seemed a good fit. In the end pediatrics was my calling, but I was already a pediatrician before I realized it. That’s the true story.”

Why did you choose pediatrics?

“Can I be honest again? I intended to be an OBGYN and loved everything about working with women and being empowered as a women’s health provider. The story of when the baby is born and the future pediatrician rotating in OBGYN naturally looking toward the baby and not the mother? That was not true for me. My eyes as a medical student were 100% on the mother. I was very practical as a student, I liked kids and I’m only 5’2″. So, I felt more comfortable being taller than my patients. Do you notice that NICU doctors tend to be shorter as well? Someone needs to do a study on that. I loved OBGYN but I wasn’t naturally gifted in terms of dexterity as a surgeon, and I already had poor eyesight. I really liked internal medicine, but adult patients don’t always have someone that helps take care of them. When you are a pediatrician, usually there is a parent to sign-out the discharge instructions. I loved working with parents. Now, being in my mid-forties and being a mother, I realize pediatrics was my calling and 100% the right decision. But when I chose the specialty, I don’t think I had enough self-awareness to know why. It felt like the right decision back then, and I’m so glad I listened to my heart.”

What was the journey through medical school and residency like for you?

“I absolutely loved medical school and residency. I went to Harvard Medical School, where my husband was already a student. We were college pre-med biology lab partners, super nerdy story, and dated. I went to Harvard and gave up UCSF medical school and that beautiful anatomy lab they have overlooking San Francisco Bay to stay with my boyfriend, and it was the best decision since we have been together for 25 years now! We couples matched at Mass General Hospital, Jong in Diagnostic Radiology and myself in Pediatrics. MGH was a magical place to train. We were residents there together, chief residents, did fellowship training together, and even had our two children there as well. I’m a very good pediatrician mostly because I trained at MGH.”

Who are some of your role models and why?

“My role models are my two climate and health mentors, Dr. Lori Byron and Dr. Bruce Bekkar. Dr. Lori Byron is the lead for the National AAP Climate Advocate Program, she is past president of the Montana AAP chapter and has been doing climate work full-time since retiring. Dr. Bruce Bekkar, who is a retired Kaiser OBGYN here in San Diego, is on the board of Eco-America, and helped form the Public Health Advisory Council of Climate Actions Campaign, where I learned how to be an effective climate advocate.

They both have mentored a whole generation of physicians in climate work, and lead with their hearts and integrity. I am so grateful to have met these giants mid-career. They helped me understand my place in the world, and my worth when I was in a difficult place in my career and thinking about leaving medicine. They were Dr. Plastic Picker’s first big fans!”

What are some of the leadership roles you currently hold?

“I’m kind of all over the place in the climate and health world because there is so much that needs to be done. On a fun note, I’m Dr. Plastic Picker on Instagram and on my own Environmental Action Blog. I’m a “plogger” who picks up trash and jogs on the beach, and I am documenting my journey to 1,000 bags. I’m currently still Assistant Chief of Pediatrics at Kaiser but will be transitioning to more sustainability leadership soon. My two big positions as a climate leader, is Chair of Public Health Advisory Council of Climate Actions Campaign and Chair of AAP California State Government Affairs Expert Committee of Environmental Health and Climate Change. I am also Co-Founder of San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air.”

What advice would you give to women who are going through medical school, residency, or who are considering medical school?

“For young women who are at the beginning of their professional medical journey, I would say keep on looking around and building your support network. It’s hard being a woman in medicine, balancing motherhood and marriage and medicine. You need help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. For me, my life changed when I had my second child and she was very ill as a 27-week-old preemie in the NICU. When you are a pediatrician, and they tell you that your kid has E-Coli meningitis, It wakes you up. She was a fighter and is healthy now at 13 and plays club volleyball and on the honor roll. But when she was sick in the NICU and I was a fellow suffering post-partum depression, I realized I needed help. I came home to San Diego, and my husband and I left the Harvard system that we loved and gave up those job offers to join Kaiser. It was the best decision for our family and us professionally. Kaiser is a wonderful system. But mostly that decision was important because I had my support network in San Diego and I’m rooted here. I live 5 minutes from my mother and live in the same household with my mother-in-law. Some people ask how it is that I’m able to do everything that I do with climate, and it’s simply because I have that support network and these two grandmothers helping me raise my children. Your support network will be different. But build it and maintain it, to cushion your family as you embark into the world of medicine. It’s still hard, but it’s totally worth it.”