As Chief of Cardiology at Harlem Hospital Center, and on the Board of the Association of Black Cardiologists, Dr. Fergus works hard constantly stay in touch with the community-and that includes people who want to expand her community-based approach to health care. Here she tells us what it takes to make it in the field.
Q: Do you have any suggestions for young women who would like to follow in your footsteps?
A: It is not impossible or improbable for a woman to have a full life as a wife, mom and director of a cardiology division. It just takes good planning and delegating skills. I also focus on the quality of time I spend with my patients and my family, although the amount of time might be reduced. Young people need to realize that, while this is not a 9-5 job, you will not be on-call all the time. There are rumors and myths about the amount of hours you have to work. In 1989, the Bell Commission found that medical students and residents were not able to perform as well if they worked too many hours. Actually, overwork could lead to poor quality care and unnecessary mistakes. So there are now laws that limit the number of hours medical staff can work. This is better for doctors and their patients. So, being a cardiologist, which may demand a lot of time, can still allow someone to have a great non-work related life.
Q: How would someone prepare themselves for this type of career?
A: It is important for people to understand what illness and disease means, as well as to be compassionate towards others. It may be helpful for someone who is interested in a career in medicine to volunteer at a medical center or community health center during high school and college to be exposed to a medical environment. There are also many organizations such as the American Medical Association that provide guidance to people considering the medical profession. One should consider having a mentor, or someone you can ask about specialized areas of medicine and the path that they undertook to get where they are currently. Don't hesitate to visit your local hospital and reach out to the volunteer area, many hospitals have volunteer programs which can be a launching pad to a career in the health field.
Riverside September 23, 2010 - 7:46am