In this episode, first year HMO Fellow Dr. Melissa Oye shares about her motivation to enter into medicine. Following in the footsteps of her father, a vascular surgeon, Dr. Oye recounts memories of hanging out in the doctors' lounge with her siblings hearing her father paged to surgery on the overhead. She expresses pride in his commitment to his patients in their small town in West Virginia, where it was common for her to overhear people's gratitude for his care. Dr. Oye has a passion for hematology and medical oncology, stemming from exposure to her grandmother's experience with cancer. She recognizes the importance of connecting with patients, helping them to feel seen, heard and valued. Her passion for addressing disparities in healthcare is not just connected to research interests, but also to practical applications to make quality care accessible to persons within her community. As an African-American woman she recognizes the importance of patients having physicians who look like them. She credits her incredible support system, namely her family (with many people in medicine!) who are her great supporters. Please take a listen to Dr. Oye's wonderful interview!