Member of the Month: Jennifer Fan, MD, MPH, FAAFP

Jennifer Fan, MD, MPH, FAAFP, never planned for an administrative mix-up to shape her career. But during a study abroad program in Argentina, she was accidentally placed with a family recovering from addiction at a drug rehabilitation center. The experience opened her eyes to the lasting effects of poverty and limited access to resources, inspiring her to pursue a career in medicine and, ultimately, family medicine. Fan completed a dual MD/MPH degree program at Paul Foster School of Medicine in El Paso and her family medicine residency at Baylor Scott and White in Round Rock. She also did a hospice and palliative medicine fellowship at Baylor Scott and White in Temple, the same program where she now serves as associate program director. Fan is also the associate program director for the MD/MPH program at Baylor College of Medicine.

Who or what inspired you to become a family physician?
I chose family medicine because I saw it as the field with the best ability to impact change in an individual’s health, a family’s health, and societal health. Drs. Charmaine Martin, Kathryn Horn, and Richard McCallum were great mentors to me during my medical school years, modeling service through volunteerism at free clinics and compassion combined with excellence at the bedside, and encouraging my involvement in organized medicine through the Texas Medical Association.

Physician well-being and helping your colleagues avoid burnout are passions of yours. Why is that work significant to you in your career?
Sustainability for ourselves is the sustainability and future of medicine. We have to be well ourselves in order to help others. My current team at work has taught me this—albeit sometimes the hard way—as we show up every day to give physically, emotionally, and spiritually to the sickest patients and their families. Some days I have to admit “I don’t got this” and need help from my team on tough cases. What I like the most about principles of well-being is being able to help medical students and residents see humility as a strength and human limitations as normal.

Why do you choose to be a TAFP member?
Medicine helps you impact change one patient at a time. Being involved with organized medicine enables you to enable positive change at the level of society. I also enjoy the camaraderie of other like-minded physicians.

What do you enjoy doing outside of medicine?
I recently obtained my 200-hour yoga teacher certificate and have started teaching classes for the residents after work hours in our hospital library. Additionally, I enjoy a weekly board game night with friends, international travel with my husband, and am trying to learn Mandarin with Duolingo.

TAFP’s Member of the Month program highlights Texas family physicians in TAFP News Now and on the TAFP website. We feature a biography and a Q&A with a different TAFP member each month and his or her unique approach to family medicine. If you know an outstanding family physician colleague who you think should be featured as a Member of the Month or if you’d like to tell your own story, nominate yourself or your colleague by contacting TAFP by email at tafp@tafp.org or by phone at (512) 329-8666.