Anyone else feel like they’re on call 24/7?
You’re not alone juggling clinical and family expectations. You’re in a community of women who truly get it.
with Julie La Barba, MD, FAAP
Get to know Dr. Julie:
As a wife, mother of four, doctor, short-order cook, chauffeur, and family concierge, she understands juggling motherhood and medicine. When not fighting pediatric obesity or dealing with sibling rivalry, she can be found hiding out in her garden thanks to an incredibly supportive husband.
Welcome to the Paging Dr. Mom™ Podcast
I’m your host, Dr. Julie La Barba: wife, mother of four teenagers & board-certified pediatrician. I’ve worked everywhere from 80-hour weeks, part-time clinic and research to being a stay-at-home mom. And you know what? I kind of feel like I’m on call 24/7, no matter what the arrangement.
Anxiety among mothers is at an all-time high— especially for moms in medicine. There is simply so much out of our control and so few solid answers. As the pandemic exhausts our human capital, the routine tasks of motherhood yield to nothing, including chronic school cancellations and ever-increasing work quotas.
We know women are good for medicine, but how is medicine treating us? Evidence supports that female physicians deliver improved patient outcomes, but we’re also burdened by a higher percentage of childcare and housework. It’s no surprise we suffer more often from burnout and depression and have lower rates of professional satisfaction.
Despite our role as natural healers since time began, women have been largely absent in structuring our current medical establishment. This podcast is for women in that system who appear to “have it all” yet sometimes find themselves whispering, “Now, can I give some of it back?”
Helping others in their greatest times of need never gets old, but it’s not without personal sacrifice. We all have a story to tell, and I can’t wait to hear yours. Residency, for me, included an HIV/Hepatitis C needle stick, what felt like endless morning sickness, overnight top bunk call at 9 months pregnant, handing off breast milk through my husband’s car window—late night drive-thru style—and celebrating holidays according to the call schedule.
As female physicians, we can keep all the plates spinning for a while, but it’s rarely sustainable. On this podcast, we’ll tackle work-life integration and career hurdles unique to women, with help from physician coaches and authors. We’ll also hear from women outside of medicine who are experts in money mindset, personal style, efficient patient charting, great reads, and even how to get a healthy meal on the dinner table.
Remember, you are not alone in juggling clinical and family expectations. You’re part of a community of women who truly get it!
Bio
Julie La Barba is a board certified pediatrician and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas Long School of Medicine.
Growing up in an Italian produce family taught Dr. La Barba the value of fresh food and the power of gathering families in the kitchen. This fostered her professional commitment to childhood nutrition and public health advocacy for the underserved.
Julie attended Vanderbilt University (B.S. Human & Organizational Development, French minor) where she was awarded a fellowship to teach English as a Second Language to French school children. She earned her medical degree from UT Health in San Antonio and completed pediatric residency training in 2006 at University Hospital/The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.
After practicing medicine in the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, she transitioned to public health messaging as the lead health consultant for the H-E-B Body Adventure Exhibit where she developed a palatable style of health writing to meet people where they are.
As Founding Medical Director of CHEF (Culinary Health Education for Families) at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, she empowered families to make delicious, satisfying meals with affordable ingredients that won’t break the bank or require gourmet cooking skills. Her published research on Prescriptions for Produce showed that produce availability, high menu planning and grocery shopping skills correlate with higher intake of fruits and vegetables among pregnant women.
A wife and mother of 4, she currently hosts the Paging Dr. Mom Podcast for moms in medicine who feel like they’re on call 24/7 regardless of their work arrangement. With guests ranging from doctors and coaches to chefs and authors she hopes to create a community of women lifting each other up one actionable step at a time.
