By Yassmin Hegazy, MD (PGY-1)
Bridging the Gray Area from Childhood to Adulthood
Dr. Carlie Stein Somerville, a Birmingham native, returned to UAB after completing her undergraduate years in Georgia because of her love for the program’s supportive atmosphere and interactions with incredible faculty—Dr. Curry, Dr. Willett, and Dr. Morris in particular. After serving as the Medicine-Pediatrics assistant program director for three years, she will become the new program director starting January 1.
The new leadership role is in addition to Dr. Somerville’s primary care clinic in Leeds where she takes care of patients ages 0-100 years, attending in IM4 clinic and Tinsley wards (one of her favorites), and launching the much needed transitional clinic. Recently, I had the chance to interview one of UAB’s most beloved Med-Peds faculty and how she effortlessly does it all.
Q: What led you to choose Med-Peds?
S: I initially thought I was going to be a pediatrician as a third year medical student, but when I rotated through the Tinsley service, I fell in love with medicine. As I completed my acting internships as a fourth year, I knew I wanted to be a pediatrician. But rotating through Tinsley (with Dr. Curry as my attending again) reaffirmed my love for internal medicine.
Q: What made you decide to join the faculty at UAB?
S: After completing my Med-Peds residency training, I could see the people, attendings and program directors were a supportive family. I initially thought I was going to do critical care, but being on Tinsley (always solving my dilemmas) knew that my dream job was to be a Tinsley attending and to take care of kids and adults. Dr. Willett, Dr. Morris, and Dr. Curry were amazing mentors and treated me as a medicine resident. I felt that Med Peds was well integrated in Medicine and Pediatrics, and I formed important relationships with patients and other residents.
Q: Thoughts on being the upcoming Meds-Peds program director? How will it be different?
S: In the setting of COVID, there is a lot of re-envisioning and re-doing during interview season. I’ve put all the leadership on a pedestal, the leadership at all levels values us as humans whether its faculty, residents, or medical students. Moving into a new program director role, my greatest passion is for residents to achieve their individual goals, to fulfill their dreams, and to get all the things they want and deserve. Our residents are so amazing and phenomenal and I’m blown away by them. My day to day joy is interacting and mentoring with residents, getting to work with them, and helping them be good primary care doctors. I’m excited about the development of the Med-Peds transitions clinic and the change in my position to show the value of experiencing of the full spectrum of care that Med-Peds faculty can bring to UAB and the Children’s Hospital.
Q: Any advice for applicants, especially now during the pandemic?
S: Take a deep breath and stay calm; it’s a scary process for all of us. You’re not alone in the fear and worry of the unknown of virtual interviews. Stay true to yourself and reflect on the things that make you passionate and emphasize those things on interviews. We want to know what is it that drives you in life and makes you happy.
Q: What is the transitions clinic and how did it come to be?
S: During my Med-Peds practice, I saw that the transitions from pediatrics to adulthood were not smooth. Adults on the inpatient pediatrics service and young adults with chronic childhood diseases at UAB were struggling with transitioning and finding adult doctors that understood their pediatric illnesses. Joining with other faculty passionate about this transitional gap, the transitions clinic was created after receiving grant approval. Now fully in action since last month, the Step Clinic is a transitional place for patients—a primary care home for young adults with childhood disease, inclusive to patients with any childhood disease or type of insurance struggling to get multidisciplinary care in the adult system.
The Step Clinic includes a social worker, physical therapist, and subspecialists coordinated in the visit and guides families through the transitional process. Transitions clinic is an exciting opportunity for the Med-Peds, Peds, and Internal Medicine residents to be able to understand the gap in different ages. I’ve been doing Step Clinic for six weeks, and it’s been incredibly meaningful hearing patients and families navigate 20 years of complex medical needs and what that looks like as an adult as they try to become independent. Understanding where those patients are coming from in their transition from pediatrics to adult care is important to giving excellent care. I’ve seen how every patient is so tearful and thankful for the available medical care that they didn’t previously have.
Q: Between your busy schedule, what are some favorite things/spots to do in Birmingham in your free time?
S: I love everything outdoors. Checking out all the beautiful parks and trails in Birmingham— Jemison Park, Red Mountain Park, Oak Mountain.
Q: I’ll end with the most important question, what is your favorite Tinsley workroom?
S: The Fishbowl (Tinsley Team 5) was always my favorite. When I was a student and resident, we rotated Tinsley workrooms. You got to be in the fishbowl when you were post-call, so I always looked forward to it.