Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Medicine comes in second for me

Stephen F. Chambers, MD
Physician
April 10, 2017
863 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

My entire childhood I wanted to become a doctor. When asked by adults what I wanted to be when I grew up, it was always the same answer. Never did I consider being a fireman or policeman or professional athlete. It was always the same answer: doctor. You see, my father was a small-town, general practice doctor who was somewhat of a legend in town because of his unfailing dedication to his patients. He delivered babies and performed minor surgeries as well as the other things a small-town general practitioner would be required to do. My father even performed his own vasectomy. When teased by many of his friends for being nuts for doing this, he would have an “ah shucks” moment and tell everyone it was no big deal since he only had one testicle.

On occasion, I would get to make rounds with him and go on house calls. Those were exciting times indeed because I rarely saw my father. We seldom went on family vacations. When we did, it was usually to attend a medical meeting, and he would not miss a session despite my siblings and my insistence that he play hooky. This lack of attention was extended to my two sisters as well. He rarely attended any of our sporting or social events. We would be living in the same house and sometimes not see him for a week. He would be up and gone before I awoke and he would not come home until I was fast asleep. During my teens and college years, I became resentful and occasionally lashed out.

We were raised by a supermom that never missed any of our events and showered us with love and attention. My mother, being the medical school wife and loyal companion, would always let us know that our father loved us, but the people in our town really needed his attention.

Despite my resentment at my father’s behavior, I pursued a career in medicine. When I finished my residency in internal medicine, I did something that I thought I would never do. I joined my father in his medical practice.

For the first time in my life, I was getting to know my father — not as a father (it was too late for that) — but as a colleague and friend. What a blast! We would see patients together, and he gave me a plethora of general practice based tips that I had not experienced in an internal medicine residency. We would even go out for a beer after work and talk about our day, much to the chagrin of my mother. I also began working all hours of the night and day. I even opened his practice seven days a week and manned most of those hours. Fortunately, I had no wife or kids to ignore while I was expanding this practice.

About two years after joining my father, he had a massive stroke and died at the ripe old age of 64. I was devastated. I had just made a new friend, and he was taken away from me after only two years. Upon his death, I had an epiphany. I noticed that when he died, not one person in our town went without health care. The other doctors in town, as well as myself, began seeing his patients, and not one of them suffered because of my father’s death. You see, my father thought he was irreplaceable. Thus, he missed one of the most important things in life: family.

Not long after my father’s death, I left the practice that I had resurrected. At that time, we were the busiest group in town and had six physicians working out of that office. I went to a different city 20 miles away where I knew no one and began a practice limited to work and auto injuries. Because very few physicians were interested in this demographic, my practice exploded, and I currently have nine clinics in two states.

I also married shortly after I left my dad’s practice and had three sons who always knew where to look to find their dad at each of their ball games. The only games I ever missed were when they had two games going on at the same time.

My dad taught me a lot. Over time through the coalescing of his teachings with my experiences, I discovered that medicine is very important and quality care is essential. However, I also have come to know that as a physician, these objectives can be obtained while experiencing a happy and healthy family life.

Stephen F. Chambers is an internal medicine physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

My prayers and my medical practice

April 10, 2017 Kevin 0
…
Next

What do you feel when someone dies?

April 10, 2017 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
My prayers and my medical practice
Next Post >
What do you feel when someone dies?

More by Stephen F. Chambers, MD

  • Help me help doctors in recovery

    Stephen F. Chambers, MD
  • Don’t be one of those sports parents

    Stephen F. Chambers, MD

Related Posts

  • How social media can advance humanism in medicine

    Pooja Lakshmin, MD
  • Why academic medicine needs to value physician contributions to online platforms

    Ariela L. Marshall, MD
  • The difference between learning medicine and doing medicine

    Steven Zhang, MD
  • KevinMD at the Richmond Academy of Medicine

    Kevin Pho, MD
  • Street medicine: You don’t know about it, but you don’t care to

    Ti Hoang
  • Cannabinoids are medicine, but patients aren’t getting the care they need

    Jill Becker, MD

More in Physician

  • The Iranian diaspora’s fight for liberty: Overcoming challenges in the largest women’s rights movement of our century

    Montreh Tavakkoli, MD
  • The harmful effects of shaming patients for self-education

    Maryanna Barrett, MD
  • The power of self-appreciation: Why physicians need to start acknowledging their own contributions

    Wendy Schofer, MD
  • Skydiving and surgery: How one doctor translates high-stress training to saving lives

    Alexandra Kharazi, MD
  • Don’t be caught off guard: Read your malpractice policy today

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Laura Fortner, MD
  • The dark side of medicine: an urgent call to action against greed

    Don Gaede, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The Iranian diaspora’s fight for liberty: Overcoming challenges in the largest women’s rights movement of our century

      Montreh Tavakkoli, MD | Physician
    • Surviving clinical rounds: tips and tales from a pediatric hematologist-oncologist [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The harmful effects of shaming patients for self-education

      Maryanna Barrett, MD | Physician
    • The power of self-appreciation: Why physicians need to start acknowledging their own contributions

      Wendy Schofer, MD | Physician
    • The endless waves of chronic illness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Skydiving and surgery: How one doctor translates high-stress training to saving lives

      Alexandra Kharazi, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 7 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Drug Shortage Leads to Firing Squads; FTC Non-compete Backlash; Illegal Laughing Gas
  • Abortion Is Not Murder in the Eyes of the Law
  • Introducing Allergenic Foods Early Tied to a Reduction in Later Allergies
  • Isotretinoin REMS Still Needed, But Its Burden Could Be Reduced, FDA Staff Says
  • Children Do Well With Fewer Opiates After Surgery

Meeting Coverage

  • Children Do Well With Fewer Opiates After Surgery
  • Advances in Diagnosis and Management of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions
  • Orismilast Clears Skin in Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis
  • New Combinations Promising in Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma
  • No Survival Benefit With CRT Versus Chemo for Locally Advanced Endometrial Cancer
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The Iranian diaspora’s fight for liberty: Overcoming challenges in the largest women’s rights movement of our century

      Montreh Tavakkoli, MD | Physician
    • Surviving clinical rounds: tips and tales from a pediatric hematologist-oncologist [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The harmful effects of shaming patients for self-education

      Maryanna Barrett, MD | Physician
    • The power of self-appreciation: Why physicians need to start acknowledging their own contributions

      Wendy Schofer, MD | Physician
    • The endless waves of chronic illness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Skydiving and surgery: How one doctor translates high-stress training to saving lives

      Alexandra Kharazi, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Medicine comes in second for me
7 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...