I.M. a Health Leader: Julia Loewenthal, MD

What inspired you to choose internal medicine?

When it comes down to it, I love the integrative nature of internal medicine and complex clinical decision-making. One has to be knowledgeable about how the systems of the body work together (or don’t work) and up to date on the latest management principles for different diseases. Then this has to be tailored to the individual patient and communicated effectively. I am also passionate about lifestyle approaches to prevention and management of chronic disease, which is critical to both primary care and multiple areas of subspecialty practice.

Describe your internal medicine journey and how it has shaped your career.

I am originally from the south and completed medical school in Virginia. Primary care physicians are often the only type of physician available in certain geographic areas, so I saw the value of internal medicine early on. I have also had excellent mentorship from internists along the way, as well as geriatricians with internal medicine training. I had early exposure to the varied settings internists and geriatricians work in, including inpatient, outpatient, post-acute care, skilled nursing, assisted living, and home visits. My residency and fellowship programs also emphasized the development of academic skills, which became important in my faculty position.

How has internal medicine training given you the skills, insight, and/or experience needed to become a leader?

I might be biased, but internists are some of the smartest and most approachable physicians. If there is a challenging clinical case, other clinicians often turn to an internist for help. Also, internists take on a lot of responsibility for patients—they work on primary services in the hospital setting and/or manage a primary care panel. I think these aspects of practice, especially during residency, allowed me to develop critical problem-solving skills and tenacity that help in my early leadership roles. Communication is essential as a leader, which we learn early on during medical training when working with patients and complex interprofessional teams.

What advice would you share with medical students or trainees that are interested in a leadership role?

If you are interested in a role, I think it is important to apply, especially as a woman, even if you might not meet every single qualification listed on the posting. If you do not get selected, someone will see your name and better understand your interest areas and background. I have had people keep me in mind for future opportunities because they have seen my applications before. The worst thing that can happen is they say no, and you continue on in your current role!

What are your interests and hobbies outside of medicine and how do you balance your work and personal life? Anything you have learned along the way to pass on?

Right now, my main hobby outside of medicine is my family—I am married and have a 3-year-old son. My advice is to have really reliable, high-quality childcare so that you can be a great parent when you are with your child! I also looked for a primarily outpatient position that has many evenings and weekends free. My other main hobby is yoga—I try to get up early in the morning for yoga practice and I also focus a portion of my academic work on yoga and aging, which helps me deepen this interest area.