Caitlin Clark, MD, was halfway through her anesthesiology residency when she realized that she missed the problem solving and interactions with patients, families and providers from her time in internal medicine. Now, she’s one of our neurocritical care fellows, she’s managing patients and teaching residents and students in our Neuro Intensive Care Unit (Neuro ICU). In this week’s “spotlight” interview, Clark talks to us about the camaraderie and relationship that exists between clinicians and nursing staff in our Neuro ICU, her hopes of a career that combines neurointensivism and internal medicine, and looking forward to singing and seeing her family again once the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
What are your current responsibilities as a neurocritical care fellow? What does a typical day look like for you?
At this point in the middle of my first year of fellowship, I am learning how to manage neurocritically ill patients while providing teaching to the residents and medical students who rotate through the Neuro ICU.
How and when did you get interested in internal medicine? How did you decide to focus on neurocritical care?
I started out in an anesthesiology residency, and midway through it, realized that I was happier during my intern year doing internal medicine. I enjoyed the patient/family interaction, the multidisciplinary team dynamics, and the thought process that goes into making patients better. I transitioned to an internal medicine residency, and finished in 2020. I decided to focus on neurocritical care after many exposures to the Neuro ICU during medical school and during my anesthesiology residency. I rotated in the Neuro ICU again as an internal medicine resident, and really enjoyed the pathology seen in the Neuro ICU mixed in with the critical care element.
What do you enjoy most about your fellowship so far?
Seeing a patient improve from a disabling neurological injury, and watching them and their families work together to get the patient ultimately home.
What plans do you have for after you complete your fellowship? If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
I plan to be closer to my hometown in the Deep South, likely in a teaching hospital. My ideal job would be to have dual appointments, one as a neurointensivist, and one in the Department of Internal Medicine working with residents on the ward services. I'd also like to do clinical lectures for medical students.
What’s one experience from your time as a fellow so far that’s been especially memorable or useful for you?
The working relationship we have as fellows with the nurses. We get to know them, and they get to know us. Back in October 2020, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. Two of the nurses recognized that something was bothering me (despite my best efforts to continue to work as usual), and let me talk about what was happening with my mother. Every week since then, the same nurses always ask me how my mother is doing (she's fine, by the way). It really touched me, and really demonstrated the camaraderie and relationship between the nurses and physicians.
What are you most looking forward to once the COVID-19 pandemic is over?
Hugging my mom and dad, and being able to go on family trips again. I also can't wait to sing as part of a group again.
What other passions or hobbies do you have outside of the Department?
I have been singing since I was in middle school. Currently I'm limited to singing in the car because of COVID-19, but that will change at some point. Music in general is a big passion of mine, in pretty much any genre or form. I also love photography, and have recently started getting back to taking photos since I completed residency. I'm a dog mom, and devote most of my time outside of fellowship to my pup. Lastly, I'm an avid video gamer, and specifically enjoy RPGs.
