Pathways to Primary Care: Family Medicine as the Foundation of Public Health
Driven by her passion for mentoring aspiring youth clinicians, Michelle Roett, M.D., created a project focused on helping high school, college, and post-college students gain exposure to the health field – in particular family medicine – and explore what it means to have a career in health care. The Georgetown University community had the privilege of hearing this presentation and being in conversation with her about a physician’s journey, the current public health field, and the gaps in Washington, DC’s health that need to be addressed.
Highlights of the Conversation
- The Five C’s of Family Medicine: First Contact, Continuity, Comprehensive, Coordinated, and Context
- Technology in Primary Care
- Primary Care Specialties
- Her Journey to Healthcare
- Her Passion for Women’s and Children’s Health in DC Safe Moms, Safe Babies initiative
- Artificial Intelligence and Medical School
- Holistic Patient Care in Primary Medicine
Class Connection
It is easy to think that global health’s primary focus is abroad, but the reality is that at every place and every level, increased public health work is needed, just as our class is focused on health from global to local. Dr. Roett is a perfect example of the work being done in Washington, DC, from clinical treatments to health promotion and access. Her presentation centered around the medical career path and how we think about health and health care. For those aspiring to attend medical school, it was a great opportunity to hear about the different steps along the journey and to learn more about the family medicine specialty. For those with a non-clinical interest in health, it was a great way to learn about how primary care is the foundation of good health and a health system, and to think about the larger-scale impacts of primary care.
Personal Connection
Dr. Roett’s accomplishments within the medical field and community at Georgetown are astounding. Her daily work and impact are something I hope to be part of one day as an aspiring physician in public health. What stuck with me the most, however, beyond all her accolades and experience, was her internal desire to work with the community. Dr. Roett shared with us that she asks herself, ‘What can I do? What can she do to help mentor the youth who aspire to health care and clinical care? What can she do to improve maternal and child health care access? What can she do as a leader, teacher, and physician to make sure her students and patients have the opportunity to be successful?
Being here at Georgetown, I have learned to grow by asking questions, especially about any assumptions or ideas that are commonly accepted, and to push myself into new ways of thinking. The conversation continued to help me do just that by asking, “Who has the opportunity to be healthy?” and “What does the community need?” The focus is always on the community and, as a physician, I hope to make an impact the way she does, from the patient level to the whole community and health care system.
Caroline McFadden (H’28) is an undergraduate student studying global health at Georgetown University.