Help A FM Resident Mother Graduate and Cross the Finish Line

Posting on behalf of a dedicated family medicine resident who needs our collective support. I’ve had the privilege of mentoring her through Physician Just Equity over the past couple of years and can personally attest to her resilience, integrity, and unwavering commitment to medicine.

Despite facing significant obstacles, systemic injustices, and cultural biases throughout her training, she has remained positive, compassionate, and deeply committed to her patients and profession. What she has endured is something no one should have to experience. This resident has dedicated her life to taking care of others, so please join us as we take care of her!

Please, if you're able and willing to help, it would mean the world to help me reach the finish line and graduate.

I’m currently a Family Medicine Resident finishing off cycle in 3 months. Long story short, I was previously at a FM program in the Midwest and was let go. After sustaining a year of unethical behavior and mistreatment with my chief, I respectfully reported my discomfort with being alone on shifts with him and requested to rotate with other chiefs. Instead of support, I found myself under intense scrutiny. While navigating this, my husband became seriously ill, suspected of having a brain tumor and could no longer be the sole stay at home parent to our 3 children. As this was during COVID, the access to care was painfully difficult and slow. Instead of allowing me FMLA to set up childcare and a back up plan, I was asked to find another program 16 months into training.

Instead of sliding into PGY2 spots in rural areas, I restarted FM residency as a PGY1 on the west coast, desiring a fresh start and fair chance to become a board certified physician. At the time, we couldn’t afford to move the family to the west coast and our family became separated.

The new program has been a breath of fresh air allowing me to train, learn and grow to be the best clinician possible. However, it’s been excruciatingly painful to be away from my children, especially my little one who needs me the most. The medical license process has been a nightmare. California required me to get a full medical license as an intern. They gave me a probationary license stating that I was not allowed to supervise NPs and PAs nor was I allowed to practice alone. It took a year to issue me a license, requiring me to step out of clinicals for several months waiting for it. I was also told I had to pay probationary fees, but did not expect to have to pay $15,000 in administrative costs. My budget has been extreme and every dollar I make goes to the medical license, children’s daycare, babysitters and airfare+transportation expenses to see my husband and children (no direct flights). I haven’t bought anything for myself in 3 years. I don’t have stable housing because I can’t afford it and my 2005 Camry is barely holding on with engine problems. I’m nearing the finish line in my residency and have worked incredibly hard to get to this point, but I am financially struggling to make ends meet. My program director has made it clear they cannot offer financial assistance so I’m turning to my community for help. Please if you’re able and willing to help, it would mean the world if anyone is willing to donate funds to help me get to the finish line of covering costs of $4000 left of medical license fees, an AAFP board review prep course, the ABFM board exam, the DEA license, medical license renewal fees, and airline/transportation costs or even donation in miles.

I have a lot of guilt for leaving my children for training that I’ve been working through and hope that I can fix the strain I’ve caused my children and husband. But it will take time. Thank you for reading, supporting, or simply sharing. It means more than I can say.