Life Update. Let’s Talk!

Long time, no post! The last time we spoke, I was sharing my life as a new Attending of 3 months. Here we are one whole year post-residency. I have been fully focused on transitioning into my new life and maintaining my new responsibilities. I have been fully enthralled in protecting my peace and overprotecting my time. I promised myself that after 18 years of grinding to become a doctor, I would take life nice and easy at least my first year as an Attending. I promised myself I would not jump into organizations, leadership roles, or major commitments this past year. I promised myself I would just be. I have done just that. It took everything I had to get to this place. If you have been following along since med school, you know exactly what I mean. 

In addition to working, I have indeed been resting. The work looks different now, thank God. I’m able to work from rest and for that I am grateful. Last week I:

Made it 1 year as an Attending.

It’s so surreal to even write that sentence. This moment has been such a long time coming. I am so grateful to have trained in NYC. Yes, the experience was ridiculously hard on me, but I would not have had the training necessary for my current job without my residency program. That’s just facts. I’ve learned many Family Medicine programs do not provide substantial women’s health experience. For many, it is very easy to leave residency without having inserted a minimum of even 5 IUDs. To leave my program fully competent in all procedures necessary for what I wanted to do and am doing? A Blessing.

Being an Attending physician does come with a learning curve. Try as you may, you never leave residency with all the medical knowledge you’ll ever need in life. The key is to build on your medical school foundation, learn and see all you can, and continue to read and improve your skillset. As you all know, my confidence took a hit with the step 1 debacle. I struggled with imposter syndrome for a very long time. I remind myself often that exam was years ago (literally almost a decade!!) and I have passed all exams since including that one. I am board certified for goodness sake. And y’all, not to toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT because I know my stuff! I look things up just to check behind myself because I am a new Attending and because I care deeply for my patients. Looking information up is another way to bolster confidence and prove to myself I am consistently correct in what I do for my patients. I also have no problem asking other Attendings for their opinions when I encounter something I have yet to see. My co-residents and I definitely keep the group chat poppin with medical questions and updates. There is no shame in that. All clinicians should feel comfortable in asking questions, reviewing protocols, and reading continuously. That’s how we get better and keep patients safe. Clinicians who think they know everything and never read/ask questions…dangerous. I do my best to read up on new advances in medicine and review various literature weekly. It’s so important to do this. I never want to be the doctor practicing 20 year old medicine when newer research says to do something different. Also, I am practicing women’s health, but I do not want to get rusty on the rest of my medical knowledge. It really helps that my staff asks me questions outside the realm of women’s health. They really keep me on my toes and I love it! 

I love the medicine I get to practice. I love connecting with my patients. I love my staff. This past year has been all about learning, adjusting, and acknowledging I’ve always had what it takes to be a bomb doctor. I must say practicing medicine in the south does feel more cumbersome that practicing in the northeast. One of my Attendings said I would miss practicing medicine in NYC and she was absolutely correct. Patients do not receive as much financial assistance here. I never used to talk money with patients in NYC. I had no idea what anything cost. Some patients would even straight up tell me they would not pay their medical bills and nothing would happen to them. Not here. I have never encountered so many uninsured patients. I have never seen them accrue so many costs for care. As you all know, abortion rights are severely inhibited here in the south. I am glad we can provide abortion services at all. With the impending Big Beautiful Bill, I am not sure what will come next for patient care here, but I do know I am back in Atlanta for a reason and I will do all I can to provide optimal health care for my patients. 

I also:

Made it 1 year as a homeowner.

Of this accomplishment I am so very proud. Homeownership is a literal dream come true. I was 9 years old when I established I would first purchase my own home and then get married and settle down with my partner. I wanted to create my own safe haven full of light and security. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it with just God and just my resources. I had to do that for myself. I had to honor that desire and dream. I’m so glad I did. I love that I know firsthand how the purchasing process works. I know how negotiation, new home construction/customization, taxes, tax cuts, escrow, closing costs, warranties, and so much more work. It’s so important for us to know these things. When I purchase my next property, I will operate from knowing and learn even more along the way. That’s Power. Now I’d love some assistance from a partner with the next home purchases because the Enclave has taken a lot of work, time, effort, paperwork, and manpower. BUT I’m so glad I completed the process alone first. I truly do feel all women especially should have the living single experience before settling down and creating a family. There is so much spiritual, emotional, mental, and fiscal growth that occurs in that space and season. You learn so much about your likes, don’t likes, needs, and wants. When you curate your own den of peace and joy, you have a greater sense of who you need and want to contribute to that space. You also understand when someone is making fewer deposits than extractions and when that peace starts to dwindle (ie when it’s time for that person to go). 

Since purchasing the Enclave, I have pretty much furnished the entire house. Ha! I have several paintings, chairs, and knickknacks left to purchase. My next major project is to decorate the rooftop deck. I cannot wait for that. Stay tuned! I hosted my housewarming, the Bazzell family reunion, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Phew! So many asked me how I furnished 80% of my home within 3 months. Ha! That’s simple. I had ample time to dream and pray and ideate while living in my shoebox of an apartment in NYC. I had to give myself something to look forward to. I just knew I was going to get this house, so I began decorating accordingly in my mind. I used the Bazaart app to visualize room layouts and to see how different pieces fit together. By the time I closed on the house, many a tab were open on my phone. Many a shopping cart were full. All I had to do was press purchase. And Did.

My Dad built all my furniture and hung all my art work. All I had to do was feed him the best of Atlanta cuisine via Uber Eats. It was so exciting to go to work with furniture in boxes and come home to find everything in its perfect place. My Dad took such great pride in his work as he should. I would even catch him taking pictures (which he rarely does!!) and sending them to my Aunts. The decorating phase was such a sweet time period for the Enclave, one I will always remember. 

Before moving in, I described the Enclave with the following words: 

Colorful. 

Beautiful. 

Artful. 

Avant guard. 

An Ode to Black History.

I am so proud to say my home is all that and more. I am most proud of the art pieces I have acquired. As it turns out, original artwork is quite expensive! I have begun my art collecting journey with prints and look forward to learning more as time goes on. I am quite at home and I am so enjoying the comfort of what I’ve built. 

As always, I want to leave you all with a few lessons learned in hopes you can apply the knowledge I’ve acquired and make life a bit easier:

Attendinghood:

-Never settle in your practice of medicine. Practice the type of medicine you love. You and your patients will be better for it.

-Strategize to ensure you have longevity in your medical practice. Do you need a job where you don’t manage lab results? Do you need a job working with a certain patient population? Avoid burnout so you can contribute to society AND build your wealth.

-Advocate for yourself always. Speak up. Request clarity. You worked way too hard for that license to let anything happen to it.

Homeownership:

-Find a realtor who cares about you and listens to you. Work with someone who is in the search with you and really wants you to have the home of your dreams. Work with someone who is patient and who will not rush you into yielding a quick commission. My realtor was AMAZING!!!

-Take your time with developing décor plans and ideas. Again, the Bazaart app is your friend. Plan and visualize so you do not waste money. Also, the beige color scheme is cool and all, but throw some color in there (if you want)!

-Save, save, save! Organize all your documents before, during, and after closing. Organization is key and will make your life so much easier. This process takes money and plenty of it!! Every bit helps. Save in a way that makes sense for you. @thebrokeblackgirl persistently drops gems and offers really practical and helpful money saving tips.

Medical practitioners achieve greater professional fulfillment when their clinical practice aligns with personal values and interests. Strategic career planning helps prevent burnout while maintaining consistent patient care quality throughout one’s professional journey. Self advocacy remains essential for protecting licensure and ensuring appropriate clinical working conditions across various healthcare settings.

Financial preparation and organizational skills support both professional stability and personal life transitions including major decisions like property acquisition. Healthcare consumers can Get comprehensive information about Cialis Black payment methods when bought online without prescription by visiting this link within broader educational resources about pharmaceutical access. Institutional support systems contribute to sustainable medical careers that balance clinical responsibilities with personal well-being and life goals.

I’m happy. I’m Blessed. I’ve come a long way and I’m just so grateful. God is good all the time and we’re just getting started.

xx,

Photos by Jasmine Smith Photography