After residency I moved to Bisbee, AZ and worked in Douglas, located on the Arizona-Mexico border, in a group practice with several other family medicine doctors. I worked there for three years doing inpatient and outpatient family medicine, as well as obstetrics. During those three years, I was the director of emergency medicine and pediatrics at the hospital.A position opened up at a clinic in Bisbee, where we lived, so I moved my practice there. I continued to do inpatient and outpatient, as well as obstetrics for several years. I was forced to give up obstetrics, as were six other family practice doctors in the area in 2003, due to the exorbitant malpractice insurance fees. I have continued my inpatient and outpatient practice, and have also worked in the ER.Currently, I work for Copper Queen Medical Associates, which has clinics in Douglas, Bisbee, and Palominas. It is a group practice with a pediatrician, several internal medicine doctors and two family practice doctors. Five of us currently run the inpatient service, so I function as a "hospitalist" for one week out of every five weeks. There is no ICU, only elective surgery, and we have cardiology consults via telemedicine. We are in the process of developing a tele-pulmonology consult service, too. In the ER, we regularly use tele-trauma, tele-stroke, and tele-cardiology to help us stabilize patients for transfer.Over the years in Bisbee I have served as Vice Chief of Staff, acting Chief of Staff, and Chairwomen of Medical Records, Utilization Review and Credentialing. I have had a few medical students from the University of Arizona work with me, which is a humbling experience in terms of how much I have forgotten since medical school and residency.One of my most memorable experiences was in 2008 when I developed a pneumothorax and had to have a chest tube. Two months later, the chief of staff developed a pneumothorax and I had to place a chest tube in him. Nothing like "see one, have one, do one!"Although I felt most satisfied with my practice when I was doing obstetrics and pediatrics, I have had to shift to my current practice with is largely adults and geriatrics. It is certainly different, with a lot more chronic disease and end of life care. I still enjoy my practice and feel lucky to be working with a close-knit staff, many of whom I have been working with for the past 12 years.
I was a Girl Scout leader for 4 years, cheerleading coach for one year, the soccer league secretary for two years, and soccer fundraising chairman for five years.Girl Scout Leader of the Year (my 1st year), Cochise Service District, Saguaro Girl Scout CouncilMostly sane Mother of fourMarried for 20 years in 2012Maintaining a thriving practice in the face of the daily struggle with fibromyalgia.
One of my favorite recreational activities is being outdoors with my family. We have had numerous memorable experiences camping, hiking and skiing in Arizona and New Mexico, as well as boogie boarding at Cocoa Beach, Florida.
My favorite memory from residency was when Nancy Maloney said she was glad to have done part of her internship with me on the inpatient service, when I was a second year resident, because I had such a black cloud she got a strong training and felt she was now ready for anything.
When I left residency, my husband, Jim, and I had a three year old daughter, Kathryn, and a one year old son, Liam. Now Jim and I are discovering the "joys" of a 16-year old daughter (who just recently got her driver's license), a 13-year old son, as well as 10- and 7-year old sons, Daniel and Aedan. Jim is currently working towards his teaching certificate in secondary education. All of the boys are active in soccer. Daniel just won 1st place in the Pinewood Derby Race for his Boy Scout Pack. We also have 4 cats, 6 guinea pigs, 2 hermit crabs, and a plecostomus. At one time I was doing modern dance, and performed for one of the hospital fundraisers. I did a cartwheel during the routine, which became the center of town gossip for years. My daughter was on the local gymnastic team for several years. Although I was 40-something, I started working out as well. This came to an end when I broke my middle finger doing a back handspring and realized I wasn't that invincible.