Celebrating Women in Medicine Month

DEPARTMENT CHAIRS

Sharon Lum, MD
Chair, Department of Surgery

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician?
"I've always wanted to be a doctor, but fell in love with surgery as a third-year medical student. I specialized in breast surgery after residency and moving to Loma Linda University Health."

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of surgery?
"Lead by example: support a woman’s desire to choose what she wants as a career and break down implicit biases against women in surgery."

Any advice for future medical students?
“Figure out what you love to do and do it."

What's new in your department?
"The new Center for Global Surgery is supported by the Department of Surgery and has a mission to promote universal access to safe, timely and affordable essential surgical care worldwide through advocacy, education, research, and service, in a sustainable and ethical manner."

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
“I love stand-up comedy.”

Elizabeth Lea Walters, MD (’94)
Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician?
"Growing up I loved mysteries and science. This way I can combine both of my interests."

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of emergency medicine?
"Emergency Medicine is so much more than you see on shows. I think getting women to see all of the possibilities makes a big difference! From Emergency Medicine you can pursue Critical Care, EMS, Global Health, Hyperbaric, Lifestyle Medicine, Medical Education, Palliative Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine, Toxicology, Ultrasound and many more subspecialties that are available. As you can see, EM doctors are a diverse group with something that appeals to everyone."

What's New in the Department of Emergency Medicine?
"We’ve been so excited to move into the new Emergency Department which has allowed us to expand our physician staffing to include some great new attendings! We now have attendings with special training in nearly every Emergency Medicine subspecialty. "

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
"Right now, I’m in Africa and I can hear the hippos calling to each other. Oh, and don’t go too near the river’s edge!”

Any advice for future medical students?
"Choose your specialty by what you love and you’ll always be happy to go to work."

April Wilson, MD (’06)
Chair, Department of Preventive Medicine

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician? 
"My grandfather planted the idea, he wanted to become a physician but got drafted into WWII.  By the time he was discharged, he had gained a wife and children, so decided he should get a job as soon as he finished college on the GI bill. He had a microscope with slides of different types of blood cells, and loved to talk about all things medical.  He didn’t pressure me, but he did help me to start thinking about pursuing the field.  I don’t think I’d be here today without his influence, as I didn’t have any family members or close friends in the healthcare field."

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of preventive medicine?
"There were more years of life gained (in the average life expectancy) in the past century due to preventive medicine and public health endeavors than other fields of medicine. If women want to work in an area that will have a tremendous impact on the health of others, this is the field to choose.  In addition, there are rarely emergencies to prevent a problem, which means I usually get to sleep at night.   As a clinician, my focus is on encouraging healthy lifestyle habits for my patients.  Sharing wellness principles with my patients, means that I must “walk the talk” and helps me to prioritize my own wellness despite the competing demands of work and home."

Any advice for current medical students? 
“Explore some of the non-traditional fields within medicine or even non-traditional practice areas within the well-known specialties.  There are a lot of opportunities in medicine that go beyond the core rotations you complete.  Look for a field that is or your personality and life priorities (not just your competencies because you may be good at many things.)”   

What's new in your department?
“We received two HRSA grants in the past three years.  The first is a $3.5-million grant to facilitate training of more addiction medicine physicians and the second is a $2.9-million grant that will bring lifestyle medicine to underserved women of child-bearing age.  In conjunction with this funding, on the main campus this summer, we launched a brand-new addiction medicine consult service and a lifestyle medicine consult service.  We want to bring the best of these cutting-edge services to our sickest patients to address the root cause of their diseases.”

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
“I worked for my contractor father during my high school summers (roofing houses, installing siding, etc) while listening to country music, oldies or NASCAR races."

DEANS

Elaine Hart, MD ('00)
Assistant Dean, Regional Campuses

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician? 
"I love people, science and lifelong learning. I enjoy caring for patients and as an educator for next generation of doctors. It is a true privilege to provide "whole person care" for my patients."

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of obstetrics & gynecology?
"The field offers a wide variety of activities, skill sets and work environments such as Labor and Delivery, the OR and the clinic. An OBGYN delivers babies, performs surgeries, and very skilled at utilizing the ultrasound. This specialty evaluates and treats complex gynecological conditions, provides health care maintenance, and enables long term relationships with patients, which in turn educates and saves lives."

Any advice for current medical students? 
"Declare your interest in OBGYN early on and become involved in the OBGYN student and breastfeeding medicine student interest groups. Get involved in research in the field both through the School of Medicine's Macpherson Society summer research program or individually."

What's new in your department?
"Our department and residency program have both grown significantly since I started as an attending in 2004. Even with this expansion, our department continues to be cohesive and supportive with amazing leadership; it is blessing to be part of this team!"

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
"I started medical school at the age of 40 after a career as a Labor and Delivery RN. My other claim to fame is I found out I was having twins on the delivery table before ultrasounds were widely utilized. And no...I am not related to Dr. Richard Hart or Dr. Kenneth Hart, but wish could claim this!"

Amy Hayton, MD ('04)
Assistant Dean, Student Affairs and Wellness
Director, LIFE Communities

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician?
"I grew up with parents in the ministry and knew that my life would be focused on serving others. It was a series of mission trips in college that showed me that providing for people’s physical needs and combining that care with demonstration of God’s love and healing fit the passion of my life."

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of medicine?
We can improve mentorship and support for women to grow in research, administration and leadership to pave the way for more women."

Any advice for current medical students? 
Get clear about your WHY early. If you aren’t clear, get in community and a mentor to help discover who you are and why you are in medicine. Also, be kind to yourself."

What's new in your department? 
"As the director of LIFE communities, we are working to create a physical space for students to gather in their LIFE communities to study, socialize and meet as groups for the formal curriculum. We look forward to unveiling the new space in the next few months."

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
"I love tea! My grandmother was from England and served me tea every time I visited her. She is gone now, but her memory lives on each time I share tea with someone. Come by my office for a cuppa sometime!"

Sarah Roddy, MD ('80)
Associate Dean, Admissions

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician? 
"I wanted to work with children and considered being a teacher, but I had a great uncle who was a physician which made me interested in medicine. I decided that by becoming a pediatrician I could combine both interests."

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of pediatrics?
"Women seem to be very attracted to pediatrics, and we always have more women in our residency than men. I think when medical students do their clinical rotations in pediatrics they enjoy seeing how rewarding working with children can be. You can have an impact on a child’s health early in their life, which will affect the rest of his/her life."

Any advice for current medical students? 
"Do not to give up or get discouraged when it is hard. Keep pushing ahead and ask for help when you need it. The rewards are more than worth the effort."

What's new in your department?
"The Pediatrics Department will have a new chair soon. The Department continues to grow and provide wonderful care for children throughout the Inland Empire."

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
“I grew up on a farm and learned to drive tractors and other farm equipment."

Tamara Shankel ('88)
Senior Associate Dean for Medical Student Education

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician?
“I chose to become a physician for the same reason many others do – a desire to help people and interact with them, and a love of science and learning.”

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of internal medicine & pediatrics?
“I think if women understood the opportunities that Internal Medicine and Pediatrics offer in terms of flexibility, it would help them consider these specialties further. Of course, they need to truly love both specialties before committing to a double residency! One of the great things about med-peds is that you have so many opportunities for different jobs, and that has allowed me to adapt my work schedule as my family grew and changed through the years.  Of course, I am so grateful to Loma Linda for supporting that flexibility as well.”

Any advice for current medical students?
“I would just encourage them to keep the wonder and the privilege at the forefront.  The wonder at this amazing body that God has created, and the privilege of being a part of patients’ lives.  Find a specialty that suits your abilities, and that captivates you – the time should go fast when you are at work! And then see if there is a way to have that specialty meet your family’s needs.  Don’t just choose for lifestyle, but consider it after you identify what you love most.   Also, I truly believe there are many ways most of us can be happy.”

What's new in your department?
“My department of Peds is doing a great job adapting to the new hospital, and to having some patient’s in the new and some in the old buildings.  Many new colleagues have joined us, some of whom came through Loma Linda as students, and it is so exciting to work beside them.”

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
“I really enjoy hiking and waterskiing.  Someday, I hope to do the Pacific Crest trail – at least sections of it!”

Lynda Daniel-Underwood, MD ('91)
Associate Dean for Curriculum Evaluation and Learner Assessment

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician? 
"Growing up in India, I decided in kindergarten that I wanted to become a physician.  I would watch television shows such as "Emergency!" which drove my passion of becoming an emergency physician."

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of medicine?
"I want women to choose the specialty of their passion."

Any advice for current medical students? 
“Be true to yourself and values"

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
"I love Harry Potter and Gilligan's Island."

DIVISION CHIEFS

Amy Young-Snodgrass, MD ('01)
Chief, Division of Forensic Pediatrics

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician?
"I wanted to be a physician for as long as I can remember. My kindergarten yearbook quoted me as saying I would be a pediatrician when I grew up. I was the first to graduate college in my family, which is a very large family. My only introduction to females in medicine was more of supportive roles to physicians and I rarely encountered women in medicine when I was young. My mother and grandmother would tell me - “look at those doctors, you can do that, you can be them one day." That gave me a lot of hope - and the idea of doing meaningful work was very motivating. "

What’s your specialty?
"I am a Forensic Pediatrician and evaluate cases of child maltreatment. As a teenager, I learned that my grandmother was a victim of domestic violence. I remember telling her that I would keep my maiden name and become Dr. Young, and make her proud. I would protect others from what she had endured."

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of pediatrics?
"We need to continue to break down the old stereotypes and biases, and do away with the ego that often plagues medicine and be of service with humility and honesty. That is what children are looking for. That is what I hope for."

Any advice for current medical students? 
"Look for a field of medicine that will allow you to see the unique difference your life can make, both in small and big ways. Ask yourself - what is my spark? What inspires me and fills me with hope? What gives me a sense of meaningful work, and how can I grow towards love and display love in my work and my life? You can do difficult things and overcome difficult situations, when you are able to get back to the purpose and the why of what you are doing."

What's new in your department? 
"We are opening a new pediatric clinic - The Resiliency Clinic, part of the Resiliency Institute for Childhood Adversity at Loma Linda University. We specialize in trauma-informed well-child care and services for children with high ACE scores. This is a multi-disciplinary clinic that incorporates various disciplines, including mental health, educational advocacy, and scholarship. We also provide holistic care to vulnerable and marginalized groups of children."

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
"My grandparents raised Thoroughbred horses and had an offspring of Secretariat, a famous champion racehorse.”

Karina Torralba, MD
Chief, Division of Rheumatology 

What inspired you to pursue a career as a physician? 
"I grew up in a family of doctors - two dermatologists, one rheumatologist, one nephrologist, and one infectious disease physician. I became a rheumatologist first because of the influence of my dad who is the first Adult rheumatologist in the Philippines. But foremost, I was so inspired by talks given by Dr. Ravinder Maini at the American College of Rheumatology annual meetings in 1998. He is a scientific leader in Rheumatology who did studies on the use of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy for rheumatoid arthritis - and this was in the year that the first biologic agent came out in our field. This was actually the clincher for me to choose Rheumatology."

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of medicine?
"We need to be more vocal about our achievements and be more visible - we need to lead by example. Take pride and we should not be shy about showing others what we have achieved. Be effusive, ask questions. Challenge the norm."

Any advice for current medical students? 
"Ask questions. Medicine is a field for lifelong learning. I am still learning about new mechanisms in how to treat and diagnose rheumatic diseases. I have adopted to using new drugs and newer modalities of imaging like point of care rheumatologic ultrasound.  Choose a field that you are interested in, and you will have fun with. Be with colleagues who are equally inquisitive. If it weren't for my colleagues in medical education, clinical trials and ultrasound - I would be so bored with what I am doing."

What's new in your department? 
"We continue to evolve in our use of rheumatologic ultrasound - we are one of the very few academic divisions in the country that truly embrace ultrasound not only for arthritis evaluation, but also for systemic rheumatic disease evaluation.  We are continuing to developing our curriculum using education technology including new simulation models to teach fellows about joint and tendon injections."

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
"I was kissed by Pope John Paul II when I was the World Youth Day representative at my University when the Pope visited the Philippines in 1985."

Jennifer Veltman, MD
Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases 

What is your specialty?
"I love so many fields of study and Infectious Diseases allows me to continue to work in so many of them. I am a scientist, an educator, a sociologist, a psychologist, an economist, a politician, and a pastor depending on the day! I love the variety in this field- there is never a dull moment and I never get bored."

How can we encourage more women to enter the field of medicine?
"I see really talented women not make the leap to college after excelling in high school. I think providing more women specific science scholarships to high achieving women who are 'first generation' college applicants would be a great way to motivate women interested in this field."

What's new in your department? 
"We have five new faculty members, a new Transplant ID team, a new HIV prevention and Care clinic at SACHS, an expanding antibiotic stewardship group, and plans to expand our global health reach."

What is a fun fact about you that most people do not know?
"I once caught a piranha with my bare hands while wading in the Curarary river as a college student."

Any advice for current medical students?
"Don't feel like you always need to know the right answer, but in the next four years, learn where to look for the answers. Don't be afraid to look things up in front of your peers and patients. Providing quality care is more important than looking smart to others."