The AAMC team (as part of our Specialty Perspectives series) recently sat down with Cicely Dowdell-Smith, MD, to learn more about her work. Dr. Dowdell-Smith is a board-certified pediatric neurologist located in Marietta, Georgia. Learn more about Dr. Dowdell-Smith’s work and neurology below.
What attracted you to pediatric neurology?
I didn’t know anything about neurology before I got to medical school. I’ve always been the type of person to let what I’m supposed to do come to me. When I was in medical school there was systems-based learning. There were some systems that I knew immediately were not for me, but when we got to the nervous system, I absolutely loved it. I spent maybe 16 total hours doing pediatric neurology in my rotations. But for me, it was my aha moment. I really liked neurology, but I loved pediatric neurology. I always say pediatric neurology came to me. I loved those few hours I got exposed to during my rotations and just knew that was what I wanted to do with my life.
Can you describe a typical workday?
I’ve practiced in both an academic and private practice setting, but I am currently the lead neurologist at a large, community health-based system in Georgia. I’ve been very diligent at this point in my career about creating a work setting that I want to have, leading me to solely working in an outpatient setting. It’s very flexible, which I love. I start seeing patients at 7:30 in the morning and see a combination of new and follow-up patients until about noon. I pick back up with patients around 12:30 and I’m done with my patient-facing hours by 3:30 in the afternoon every day. Outside of my patient-facing hours, I have to find time to call people back, go over lab results, and talk with radiologists. I am also on-call with the emergency room and am always available to parents who might call in about patients.
What parts of your job do you find most challenging? What parts do you find most rewarding?
As a parent, I understand the elevated level of worry from parents who are dealing with a child who may have a health condition. Sometimes we have ideas in our mind that need to be explained differently, or we go and Google things that may go against what the doctor is saying. Those things can complicate our work. Working in pediatrics is a balance of treating and managing the patient, while also managing what a patient’s parents have going on. Sometimes those are completely different things that we have to learn how to navigate appropriately.
The best part of my job is the kids. We follow our kids until 18 or 21, so we truly spend years building a relationship with them. And we have fun! When my patients come in, we sing, we dance, and we play. I have so much fun every day. It’s super rewarding to treat what they’re coming in for, but it’s also rewarding to build those relationships and have fun with them along the way.
Can you share a case you found especially rewarding and why?
In this profession we serve a population that often operates outside of what society deems "typical." When someone speaks differently, can't speak at all, moves differently, or thinks differently, people often make assumptions into a certain level of cognitive function. I make it a point to always assume that all of my patients are fully aware and present, and sometimes, I am rewarded with the most meaningful interactions. One time, a patient that has autism and is non-verbal, spelled out on her letter board "you are an amazing doctor." As doctors, we don't hear that a lot. I was overwhelmed with emotion to hear that from someone who chooses her words very thoughtfully - because communicating this way is a task. That confirmed for me that I'm positioned exactly where I am supposed to be in life.
How would you describe someone who could excel in neurology?
In neurology you have to be very detail oriented. Even beginning your courses in medical school, you’ll have to learn so many small picture things and be about the details. In pediatric neurology specifically, you have to keep in mind that children are children. If you don’t understand that teenagers aren’t always going to want to talk to you or that you’re going to have to get down on the ground and get dirty sometimes, then this isn’t for you.
Are there any neurology resources that our audience should be aware of?
Social media has been a positive tool for neurology and pediatric neurology in particular. Dr. Shilpa, who goes by @PedsBrainDoc on social media, is a great example of that. There are a number of doctors throughout neurology who are sharing great information on social media. For someone looking to learn more about neurology or even parents who may be trying to get a little bit of information while waiting to see a neurologist in person, I think it’s a really powerful tool.
What advice would you share with premeds who are just starting their career into medicine?
There are three things I think premeds should consider. First, make sure this is something you really want to do. This is not a career you can do for anyone else or just go into for the money. The people who have made it this far and are here, it’s because they really want to be here. Second, there are going to be parts of your life where you’ll sacrifice your time. That might be birthdays, holidays, and time with loved ones. It’s part of the journey and we all get through it. And third, consider the work-life balance of the specialties you’re looking into. What an acceptable work life balance looks like is going to be up to the individual, but you’ll want to try to find mentors or people currently working in those specialties that you can talk to about what life in that specialty looks like.
I’d also want premeds to know that, if you want to, you can really make this career your own. If you are clear on what you want and don’t want within your career, there are so many opportunities to give what you can and take what you need. I don’t think enough people know that.
To learn more about Dr. Dowdell-Smith and her work, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.