Kelly Cunningham, MD, acknowledges she followed a “pretty traditional” path into medicine. She can’t point to one role model or a single experience that sparked her interest in the field. Rather, she felt medical school would be the ideal way to combine her love for biological sciences, her passion for helping others, and her desire to make a difference.
But Dr. Cunningham didn’t have to wait long for career inspiration. “When I was doing my initial clinical rotations, I had very good hospitalist mentors,” she says. “I started thinking, ‘I really like your job, and I can see myself wanting to be like you.’ ”
Those mentors developed Dr. Cunningham’s interest in quality improvement (QI) and patient safety, which tied in well with hospitalists’ evolving role and complemented her interest in caring for medically complex patients. “I’m a thinker, so I realized early on internal medicine was a good fit for me,” says Dr. Cunningham, an assistant professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and an attending physician at Vanderbilt University Hospital and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Nashville. “It became clear I wasn’t going to be a surgeon. I don’t like to fix things using my hands. I like to fix things using my mind.”
Studies show it’s not uncommon for patients to not know the name of their treating physician in a hospital or to not know their diagnosis or to not know why they’re taking a certain medication. It comes down to taking the time to talk to patients and empower them to take an active part in their medical care.
Question: How do you balance your academic appointment with your clinical responsibilities?
Answer: That’s the biggest challenge for me. I went into hospital medicine first and foremost because I enjoy taking care of patients. But I really like teaching. I’m very interested in working with residents and students. I’m at the point now where I’m starting to have to say no to things and prioritize a bit just to maintain my sanity.
Q: Does one aspect of your career complement the other?
A: Absolutely. You can’t do clinical activities or academic activities in a vacuum. In order to be a good clinician, you need to have the perspective of being able to ask research questions or understand how to teach and be able to tie QI activities into your daily work. On the other hand, I don’t think you can be involved with a residency program without having the knowledge of what it’s like to be on the front line of patient care.
Q: What do you find rewarding about working at the VA?
A: The physicians who are working in the VAs very much appreciate veterans’ service. They enjoy sitting down with them and hearing their stories and seeing them as people. In turn, the veterans are very grateful for the care they receive. Most veterans only receive care within the VA system, so it’s kind of like its own community, and I really like that.
Q: You are passionate about improving the quality of care transitions. What sparked that interest?
A: When I was a resident at Emory University, much of my clinical work was at Grady Hospital in Atlanta. The patient population tends to be underinsured and doesn’t have great access to healthcare. On the day of discharge, we’d give them the right instructions and the right prescriptions, and we’d schedule a follow-up appointment. Two weeks later, they were readmitted. We’d find out they didn’t understand the instructions, couldn’t afford the prescriptions, or didn’t go to the follow-up appointment. It made me realize how important the transition is between hospital and home, and what a vulnerable time it is for patients.