04/21/2022
Love it when I get to brag on my family too!!
Pediatric and internal medicine resident Dorothy “Jet” Patterson, M.D., was inspired to pursue a career in medicine when her father was diagnosed with cancer. “It was through his struggles that I first learned how influential doctors can be in their patients' lives, and the lives of their families. The doctors who cured his cancer, gave me my dad back. Human relationships were what it came down to for me. Being able to step into someone's hurt and return their sense of agency, comfort them, and perhaps give them more time...it seemed like magic to me.”
Now a physician herself, Dr. Patterson encounters patients of all ages and walks of life as she moves through rotations as a resident. Though each patient brings a new story, Dr. Patterson reminds herself that no matter how big or how small, how healthy or how sick someone may be, she can offer them help.
Dr. Patterson knew she wanted to complete her residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “UT Southwestern is a place abounding with opportunity. From world-renown research to cutting-edge therapeutic offerings at the bedside, UTSW is a place where medicine is thriving. I wanted to train in a place with endless opportunity for me to explore my future and grow as a clinician.”
She reminds others considering a career in medicine that, “There is a lot of sacrifice involved in pursuing a career in medicine, but there is also tremendous reward. Nothing can describe the joy you'll feel when a patient expresses their gratitude, or when you simply know in your heart that you gave them your utmost. The opportunity to see into your patients' lives, and perhaps improve them, is an extraordinary gift. Despite the ups and downs, I would choose medicine again. In fact, I couldn't choose anything else.”
