National Physician Week falls on March 25-31 this year and is a time to celebrate, honor, and reflect on the dedication, skills and contributions of our team of physicians in the delivery of quality healthcare in our communities.
We acknowledge, appreciate, and celebrate all of our physicians and are happy to feature stories from four members of our team of committed and dedicated physicians – Shawn Vainio, James Marrone, Anthony Markuson, and Megan Young. We start with Shawn Vainio as he shares his story with us:
Medicine has been a dream for me since my early childhood. I remember being enthralled with First Aid and Wilderness Medicine in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Wound management, lightning strikes, drowning, hypothermia, snake bites, etc.; they all seemed to be such interesting topics that could be studied, and that knowledge could be applied to help heal others. I had the Boy Scout Handbook First Aid section memorized and studied my mother’s copy of the Betty Crocker Home Medical Encyclopedia for fun!
The loss of a close childhood friend at 12 years old to leukemia solidified my commitment to medicine, and my understanding that sometimes we lack the ability to cure or heal the patient, but can nonetheless care for the patient and their family.
I have read plenty of books, articles and journals since those childhood days, and I have unfortunately lost more family, friends, and patients than I usually care to speak about, but all of those experiences have done nothing but further reinforce my commitment to providing patients the highest quality care possible with the available resources in the same manner that I would wish for my loved ones. It is an honor to serve humanity as a physician, such an amazing combination of scientific inquiry and compassion.
Curiosity was probably the primary motivating factor in my becoming a physician. I often think about life and health to get a general understanding of people and what makes us who we are, plus the practicality of being able to help people and make a difference. Medicine, I think, blends those inclinations and desires very nicely.
We did not have any physicians in my family, so in their recognition of my curiosity at a fairly young age, several of my most trusted elders encouraged me to study science and even consider a career in something like medicine. However, I was never unfairly or even heavily pushed towards it, more like they just let me find my calling!
Challenges are generally the same for physicians these days, especially for those of us working in similar resource-challenged areas. I think immediately of travel, weather, conflicting demands, work volume, patient non-compliance, EMR systems, and institutional limitations, just to name a few. In spite of the challenges, we consistently find and create ways to take great care of our patients!
The most rewarding aspect of my role is knowing that at the end of the day, that one really does make a difference. Almost anyone can do a job, but this job, especially when properly done, just feels different and better for providers, patients and their families.
I would encourage aspiring physicians to talk to many of us, find opportunities to job shadow or intern in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers. There are some who know almost immediately when they see even a little of our work up closer that it’s not going to be right for them, yet others might still keep that spark of interest (and curiosity!) despite the blood and guts part of our work. These are the ones who may be willing to put up with the years of study and personal challenges (and student loans!) that it takes to become a physician.
Becoming a physician is a worthwhile and fulfilling career choice. It is a long road, not necessarily a very hard road, but no doubt a long one. Most of us were somewhere around the age of 30 when we finished all of our schooling and training, so it’s definitely not something to just jump into for the fun of it. The most fun part comes later on when you get to play games along with your patients while you watch them heal and get better.
As a family physician, my passion for improving health, meeting the needs of my community, and interest in pathophysiology culminate in the most interesting career. Working at YKHC, I have the opportunity to help families throughout all stages of life. Coming to work means I get to help mothers welcome their newborns into the world, support a family member as they pass peacefully at the end of her life, and work in the emergency department to resuscitate critically ill patients. The patients and their families, team work at YKHC, and broad spectrum of care are the most rewarding aspects of my job and keep me coming to work every day to help take care of our community. I am thankful for the opportunity to be a physician at YKHC and hope to keep serving the YK community in this way!
I have had the great privilege of serving the communities of the YK Delta for the last 6 years. I grew up in western Colorado and fell in love with Alaska when visiting during medical school. I moved to Anchorage, Alaska, in 2013 to attend residency and rotated in Bethel during this training. I fell in love, but before signing up to work full-time in Bethel, I traveled the state working in many communities. Though I enjoyed my time in Dillingham, Kodiak, and Seward, I knew YKHC was the best fit for me.
Since working full-time in Bethel, I have had many adventures. I enjoy traveling to the Yukon in winter to hunt moose and processing the meat with friends. I now have a great moose jerky recipe! I enjoy fishing for salmon in the summer and picking berries in the fall. Tundra blueberries pair exceptionally well with the peaches from my family orchard in Colorado. One of my greatest joys has been adopting a dog from Quinhagak. She is a small husky-mutt and is full of love. She was brought to us by Bethel Friends of Canines.
Though I have worked throughout the hospital, you will likely find me working in the emergency department. This work is challenging, but it is important, and the people of the YK Delta deserve the best care available. I encourage anyone interested in health care to consider a career serving a small community in rural Alaska. Caring for people on their worst days is hard, but with the help of excellent nurses, staff, and physicians—we have a chance to make things better.