Women In Medicine Month: Dr. Lora Fetty

September is Women in Medicine Month. We are pleased to share the stories of some of our female physicians.

Lora Fetty, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine

Meet Dr. Fetty

Dr. Fetty is double board-certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, whose clinical interests include adolescent medicine, primary care, and hospital medicine.

A career in medicine is a collaborative experience, and support from others is incredibly important. Was there a female mentor in your life that helped you navigate any obstacles in your medical career?

I have been so fortunate to have many great women in my life that prepared me for my role as a physician, and just too many to name, so I will focus on the one female that was there from the beginning of my journey. My wonderful Mom prepared me in so many ways, but first and foremost, she instilled a positive attitude in me. She would always say, “Happiness is a state of mind and you choose to be happy or unhappy.” As a young child I found this very annoying, especially in moments where things were not going my way, but I later learned that she meant that happiness does not come from things, experiences, or other people, but it comes from my own choice. Being a physician has been immensely rewarding, but there are some very difficult situations. Being able to remain positive and muster up inward joyfulness, despite having difficult decisions to make, has been key to instilling inspiration and hope to the patients that I serve.

Last year the #medbikini broke the internet when a journal article listed wearing a bikini on the beach on personal social media as unprofessional behavior. Do you feel that women are held to a different professionalism standard than men?  

Yes. Though I feel it is unfair, I find it best to conform, within reason, to the expectations if my actions will distract from providing the best patient care. For matters such as this, it is best to keep your social life private.

For those of you that have chosen to have children, do you ever feel that society (or even fellow colleagues) attempt to dictate that it is “impossible” to be both a good doctor and a good parent? If so, how do you handle this criticism in your own personal life, and how do you propose we navigate those wrongful judgements in the future?  

I found my colleagues to be highly supportive of me, as many of them have families of their own and understand the balance that is needed to maintain home and professional life. Some folks in society feel that I let my children down when I chose to pursue a career as a physician. Comments have been made to this affect. I respond with this statement; "My children are learning from example, and I am showing them that hard work, pursuit of your dreams, and persistence leads to a successful and fulfilling life."

What advice would you give to a young women pursuing a career in medicine?

Congratulations! You have chosen a most rewarding career path where the work that you do will improve the quality of people's lives. Though rewarding, it is a most challenging career, and you must embrace lifelong learning. You will spend most of your working time giving to others, which is a wonderful feeling, but be sure to surround yourself with a small supportive group of friends that you can relax with and have some good laughter. Select a work establishment where you have a supportive and noncompetitive work environment. If you are ever appointed a promotion or position that you do not feel is a good fit for you, just go ahead and dive in and embrace the new chaos as you will grow and learn. Never waste time doubting yourself. Just organize a plan, recruit help when needed, and proceed forward.