What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

Wayne Hellstrom clearly had the biggest impact on my initial decision to go into sexual medicine. He was and is still my mentor. He provided an atmosphere that pushed me to rapidly get caught up in the field of sexual medicine which helped to springboard pretty much everything else that came downstream. He also was very good about helping to introduce me to the SMSNA family and has continued to help with my career in many other ways.

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

I was a research fellow at Sloan Kettering conducting research on fatigue in men with prostate cancer who were on androgen deprivation therapy. John Mulhall presented grand rounds for my department. After his presentation, I introduced myself, he said, "Let's write a paper, come shadow me in clinic one day. I want to work with a psychologist clinically and academically...interested?"

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

I was drawn to sexual medicine because it’s a field where I can make a real, immediate impact on patients' quality of life and help them regain confidence, intimacy, and overall well-being.

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

I had a great mentor during residency who was genuinely excited to come to work because he was passionate about this field. I realized that it was an amazing field where you could really make a difference in a patient's quality of life.

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

Strong support from Dr. Trost and his willingness to teach me sexual medicine. I am also interested in areas of medicine that are difficult, intimidating, or uncomfortable for some and I aim to become knowledgeable in these topics.

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

I do a lot of medical school advising and what I tell students, based on my personal experience, is that the most important reason to choose a field is the colleagues with whom you get to work. I considered a number of different specialties when I was in medical school and a number of different sub-specialties once I was in urology residency. I found that it was the sexual medicine clinicians that really felt like “my people,” the group I would want to see and work with for the many decades of a career in medicine. These colleagues take what they do seriously and perform at a high level but also know how to approach what we do with humor and collegiality, more so than in many other branches of medicine.

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

I've enjoyed talking about sexual health for as long as I can remember—it’s always been a topic that fascinates me. Most of my friends growing up were men, so conversations about men's health felt both natural and important. Getting to discuss something I'm passionate about with people I enjoy is incredibly fulfilling, and I often wonder why more people don’t do what I do!

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

My rotation in Andrology and Infertility with Dr. Lipshultz deeply inspired me to pursue this specialty. I remember as a resident seeing these patients in clinic and realizing what a profound impact we can make in their lives.

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

A former PA colleague introduced me to a brilliant man named Mohit Khera and the rest is history!

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

As a med student on urology rotation, I spent a lot of time counseling a patient on ED causes and treatments. He was reticent initially, but by showing him that I cared enough to genuinely help him, his whole demeanor changed. It felt like making patients comfortable was my superpower! And then I went to a talk by Dr Irwin Goldstein which blew my mind as I had never learned anything in training about female sexual dysfunction. I immediately knew that this was my calling!

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

I enjoy the breadth of conditions that we treat and the ways that we can positively impact quality of life for our patients.

What inspired you to work in sexual medicine?

My reason for working in this field is deeply personal as I have myself experienced sexual trauma, and I understand how much shame and suffering can come from staying silent about sexual health problems. Since medical school, I have had friends and family with sexual health issues that I have had the privilege of bearing witness to and trying to help. Whereas many people might avoid the conversation and change the topic, I found these issues very moving and wanted to explore them more to be able to help better. When I met Dr. Goldstein during my research year of residency at AUA where he was doing a presentation about the “female prostate,” the light bulb finally came on in my mind that, as a urologist, I could actually help women with their sexual health problems, and the rest is history.